Scott Morrison should have the gumption to think for himself: Abbott

Abbott has revealed details of internal government discussions on immigration in the latest salvo in his war of words with Morrison

Tony Abbott addressing the Sydney Institute on Tuesday. Picture: AAP

Tony Abbott has told Treasurer Scott Morrison he should “have the gumption to think for himself”, revealing internal government discussions over immigration that took place during his prime ministership in the latest salvo in his war of words with his former ministers.

Mr Morrison yesterday dismissed Mr Abbott’s calls to cut Australia’s migration numbers by 80,000 a year, saying the permanent intake was the same as it was when Mr Abbott was prime minister.

The Abbott government immigration minister said he did “not recall at any time there was any discussion that that (immigration) should be lowered” during Mr Abbott’s prime ministership, prompting Mr Abbott to dispute that claim in a Facebook post today, after telling radio station 2GB yesterday that the Treasurer had been “captured by his department”.

Acting Prime Minister Mathias Cormann and Trade Minister Steven Ciobo have also added to the chorus of senior ministers slamming Mr Abbott’s calls to cut Australia’s immigration intake.

Senator Cormann said Mr Abbott was “wrong”, while Mr Ciobo said the former prime minister’s calls were “lazy and inaccurate”.

In an address to the Sydney Institute on Tuesday night, Mr Abbott called for the Turnbull government to cut immigration levels from 190,000 people a year to 110,000, saying Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton could “manage numbers down quite quickly” to help ease employment and housing affordability pressures.

Mr Morrison said Mr Abbott’s plan would cost the budget $4bn-$5bn over four years, and result in a lower proportion of skilled migrants.

Mr Dutton backed the Treasurer, saying the current settings were right.

In his Facebook post, Mr Abbott said Mr Morrison had “conveniently forgotten the very vigorous discussion about cutting immigration that took place inside government in early 2015 as part of the budget process.”

“Because we were achieving a reduction anyway I eventually decided not to adjust the official figure but I kept it on the table as I never accepted the Treasury orthodoxy that more migrants meant more growth and a stronger budget outcome,” Mr Abbott said.

“If Treasury is right why not solve the deficit simply by ramping up immigration?

“I repeat, we should not let Treasury’s accounting rules stop the government from acting in our medium term national interests and Scott should have the gumption to think for himself.”

Abbott ‘lazy, inaccurate, wrong’

This morning, Senator Cormann joined his colleagues in condemning Mr Abbott’s views.

“Tony Abbott is wrong,” he told ABC radio.

“To criticise the experts and say that somebody who’s not an expert knows better is not the right approach.

“The important approach when it comes to migration is to ensure that we attract the right people with the right skills, preferably young migrants who have a lifetime of economic contribution to make to our country, and we are an incredibly successful migrant nation.

“This is a country where wherever you come from anywhere in the world, if you work hard, put your shoulder to the wheel and give it a go, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.”

Belgian-born Senator Cormann did not become an Australian citizen until 2000, having migrated in the mid 1990s.

Mr Ciobo said it was important to debate issues such as immigration, but dismissed Mr Abbott’s view.

“I could not disagree more strongly with Tony Abbott’s comments,” Mr Ciobo told ABC radio.

“I think it’s a great shame that we often see immigration and in particularly immigrants having the finger of blame pointed at them on issues like, for example, escalating house prices or depressed wages growth.

“I think that’s lazy, I think it’s highly inaccurate.”

“I am the son of an immigrant who came to this country after the Second World War with very poor English skills and now I am Australia’s Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister in cabinet. That is just my story,” Mr Ciobo said.

“I mean the stories behind immigration to Australia, the wealth it has bought Australia, the prosperity it’s brought Australia, not solely because of immigration, but immigrants have certainly played a massive role in that.”

Mr Abbott told Sydney radio station 2GB yesterday that he was not against immigration.

“I’m in favour of immigration. It’s the rate of immigration that’s the problem,” Mr Abbott said.

“I think Scott’s problem is that he’s been captured by his department.

“Treasury is always in favour of more migration.

“The point that I make is that we cannot let the Treasury’s accounting rules determine what is in our long term and medium term best national interest.”

Mr Abbott said he wanted the government to win the next election.

“Sure, people like Scott can say everything we’re doing now is right, but if you believe the polls, and it was the prime minister, let’s face it, who set such great store by the polls, if you believe the polls obviously we aren’t doing everything right, and if we expect to win the next election, if we want to have a fighting chance of winning the next election, some things have got to change, and this is something which we could well change which I think would be principled, pragmatic, and maybe even popular,” he said.