Angus Taylor’s immigration plan misses the target – on politics and on policy

‘Massive fluctuations in net overseas migration are never good policy. Business and government agencies need stability and predictability to plan and invest.’ Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Under pressure to match One Nation’s most recent iteration of its immigration policy of negative net overseas migration (Nom) for three years in a row, Angus Taylor has announced the Coalition’s new Nom target will be 100,000 in its first two years from 2028-29, rising to 130,000 then 160,000 by 2032. That sits conveniently between Labor’s target and One Nation’s.

The most surprising aspect of the Coalition’s announcement is that in six pages of policy detail, for which the opposition should be commended, there is not a single mention of the labour market.