Federal Coalition dumps Dutton-era stance on migration

The Coalition has vowed to adopt a new approach to migration, spearheaded by a Queensland senator who wants to focus on the “positive role” it plays to the country.

Shadow Minister for Immigration Paul Scarr. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Coalition has vowed to adopt a radically different approach to migration, spearheaded by a Queensland senator who wants to focus on the “positive role” it plays to the country.

New shadow immigration minister Paul Scarr will draw on his long history of engaging with multicultural and diaspora communities as he looks to hold Labor to account, and build policies based on empathy, empowerment and admiration in the lead up to the next federal election.

While the Coalition conducts a wide-ranging review on all policies, the Queenslander said “we can do a better job in terms of discussing these issues”, and wants a greater focus on the shared values of migrant communities with that of the Coalition.

“We are a party that believes passionately in the fundamental freedoms of the individual, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of association. So many of our migrants come from places where they didn’t have those freedoms,” he said.

As shadow multicultural affairs minister, he added he was “passionate about empowering our multicultural communities”.

“The more I’ve worked with our different communities across Queensland, the deeper my respect and admiration for the people who’ve come from very difficult circumstances and found their way here and are making an outstanding contribution,” he said.

Immigration was a hot button Coalition policy under former leader Peter Dutton, who linked the post-pandemic migration spike with the housing crisis, and in the lead-up to the election pledged dramatic cuts to permanent and net overseas migration.

Former opposition leader Peter Dutton on election night. Picture: Adam Head / NewsWire

An ANU pre-election report found migration numbers were “being weaponised during (the) campaign to elicit panic and sway voters”, when the reality told a different story.

Senator Scarr says when it comes to the nexus between migration and housing, blame must be attributed to the government, not the people.

“It’s important to make it clear that we’re talking about the failure of the government to plan appropriately, to have the right policy settings, and the failure of the government to manage the settings appropriately,” he said.

“It is not the fault of anyone who comes to the country seeking a better life for them and their family.”

After losing ground with communities in the 2022 election, some within the Coalition believe Mr Dutton’s at-times inflammatory language further alienated multicultural voters who punished them at the polls in May.

But Senator Scarr, whose commitment to multiculturalism traces back to his pre-politics career as a lawyer in Papua New Guinea and later with a mining company with a presence in Laos, is adamant the Coalition can “absolutely” get those voters back.

“We can have success if we put the work in and spend the time with those communities,” he said, adding he had met with multiple community leaders since the election.

Liberal strategist Tony Barry said the party too often saw the country “as we want it to be and not as it is”.

“We need to demonstrate to these communities that our values are also their values – choice, personal responsibility and reward for effort,” he said.

Originally published as Federal Coalition dumps Dutton-era stance on migration