NSW Senator Dave Sharma joins calls to pause migration amid housing crisis

A NSW federal Senator has joined growing calls to halt migration until Australia can catch up and build more housing. Do you agree?

NSW’s newest Senator has used his second maiden speech in parliament to urge the Albanese government to halt immigration until it catches up on desperately needed housing.

Former Wentworth MP and new NSW Senator Dave Sharma also used the speech to raise concerns over social cohesion in Sydney in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war and blasted the Albanese government for abandoning the stage three tax cuts.

“The shortage of housing is being exacerbated by high immigration, which is fuelling demand for already limited supply,” he told parliament.

“Last year net overseas migration was over half a million.

“Until we are able to accelerate our pace of home building, we need to reduce our immigration intake — or else we will simply place further pressure on our housing market.”

NSW Senator Dave Sharma. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Sharma, who was a former Ambassador to Israel, said Jewish Australians had been treated unfairly in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the ongoing war.

“What we have seen in recent months has clearly crossed the Rubicon, and resulted in one community — and one community alone, the Australian Jewish community — being made to feel unwelcome in their own country, fearful in their own neighbourhoods, and anxious about the future they face here,” he said.

“This is utterly unacceptable. It is also incredibly dangerous.”

Five years on from his first speech in the House of Representatives, Mr Sharma once again touched on Australia’s geopolitical concerns — urging the government to do more on foreign interference.

“The erosion of our geographic advantage means we need to be better equipped to deter and defend against potential attacks on our sovereignty,” he said.

“This means greater surveillance and force projection capabilities in our defence forces, and an ability to operate further from Australia’s shores.

“We also need to strengthen our defences against espionage, foreign influence operations, and digital and cyber attacks.”

People rally on the streets along Sydney Road Coburg, for a Free Palestine as the war continues in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Sharma did not shy away from blasting the Albanese government, accusing them of “entrenching” bracket creep.

“The changes to the Stage Three tax cuts made by the Labor Government have only further entrenched bracket creep as a feature of our tax system,” he said.

“Australia’s unhealthy dependence on income tax places an unfair burden on many younger Australians.”

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