Bill Shorten, Anthony Albanese’s mixed messages on immigrant cut

Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese mixed their lines in Labor’s response to a migrant cut, after a crackdown on dodgy claims.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese holding a press conference at the Port of Botany in Sydney. Picture Kym Smith

Bill Shorten has dismissed the federal government’s stewardship of permanent immigration numbers which have dropped by 21,000 in the last financial year, cautioning that migrants who come to Australia are good for growth.

The Opposition leader — who said “the government sort of makes this stuff up as they go along” — took a markedly different approach to experienced frontbencher Anthony Albanese who said this morning the cut is “a good thing.”

“The government should realise that some level of immigration generates economic growth in this country,” Mr Shorten told reporters around lunchtime.

“But what amazes me when the government talks about immigration is they never talk about temporary immigration. We are seeing a rise in the number of guest workers, visa workers with work rights in Australia, that’s the real challenge in Australia.”

Ahead of by-elections at the end of the month which could cause unrest in the Labor caucus, Mr Shorten’s one-time leadership rival for the top job took a gentler tone.

“Of course it’s a good result, if there is more integrity in the system,” Mr Albanese said this morning.

“If they have toughened up the system which they themselves were in charge of, to ensure more integrity in the system, then of course that’s a good thing.”

Immigration and, more controversially, asylum-seekers have re-entered the Labor Party debate ahead of the by-elections. Members were prevented from discussing the party’s position on boat arrivals at the Victorian state Labor conference earlier this year, a move Mr Shorten defended.

Mr Albanese said again this week that the party and voters should acknowledge the Coalition has stopped the boats.