Peter Dutton’s secret plan to cut back on migrants

Peter ­Dutton proposed cutting the ­annual immigration intake by 20,000 to cabinet colleagues last year but was knocked back.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: AAP

Home Affairs Minister Peter ­Dutton proposed cutting the ­annual immigration intake by 20,000 to cabinet colleagues last year but Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison knocked the idea on the head.

The proposal was to reduce the ceiling on annual permanent ­migration from 190,000 to 170,000. Mr Dutton’s argument was based on public concern at the rate of immigration, well-placed sources said.

The Australian understands Mr Dutton was backed at the time by then deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, but the Prime Minister and the Treasurer opposed it.

Senior ministers yesterday rallied behind Mr Turnbull in the wake of the Coalition losing its 30th consecutive ­Newspoll — a measure used by the Prime Minister to oust Tony Abbott in 2015.

But Mr Joyce broke ranks last night to deliver a warning over the leadership, saying that if Mr Turnbull was ­behind in the polls by Christmas, he should do the “honourable thing” and ­resign. Mr Joyce, who in February resigned as Nationals leader, said that political leaders had an obligation “not to drive your party or the government off a cliff”.

“Towards the end (of the year), near Christmas, you’d have to start asking those around you what do they believe is the proper course of action from that point forward,” Mr Joyce told Sky News.

“Malcolm is not a fool. He’d know that himself. We are stating here the bleeding obvious.”

Even as senior cabinet ministers said there was no push against Mr Turnbull, Mr Dutton, Mr Morrison and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg yesterday all conceded they had leadership ambitions in the event of the prime ministership becoming ­vacant. “There are lots of reasons why you would want to lead ... what I think is the greatest country in the world,” Mr Dutton said.

Quizzed on Mr Dutton’s comments, Mr Turnbull said: “Ambition is a wonderful thing, particularly in one so young.”

The Dutton immigration proposal was not as radical as that championed by Mr Abbott at the Sydney Institute in February when he called for a reduction in the immigration rate to 110,000.

In a post on Twitter this morning, Mr Dutton did not deny that he had pushed for the immigration intake to be cut, but said he supported the government’s current policy position.

“I have made it clear over recent weeks that I support the current level of migration. As the PM and I have said repeatedly; our migration program acts in the national interest by maintaining the same proportions of skilled and unskilled entrants as previous Coalition Governments,” Mr Dutton wrote this morning.

Revelations of Mr Dutton’s failed attempt to cut the immigration level come as the government struggles to generate political momentum amid continuing public concern around the pace of growth and development in major cities.

The Coalition has also sought to counter calls for immigration cuts from minor parties, including One ­Nation.

Mr Dutton denied there was a push against Mr Turnbull’s leadership, promising he would be loyal to the Prime Minister even as he conceded his ambitions.

He said that if every member of the House of Representatives was “being honest”, they would say “if the opportunity came their way they’d be interested as well”.

“But for me, as I say, loyalty is important and I’ve made a virtue of that.

“I want to be working hard in my Home Affairs portfolio, succeeding there, and then if the opportunity comes one day, then it will be a great honour.”

Later on Sky News, when asked whether he hoped to become opposition leader after the election, Mr Dutton said: “I expect Malcolm Turnbull to win the next election. That’s the premise I’m working on.”

Asked about his leadership ambitions last night, Mr Morrison, in an interview on the ABC’s 7.30, said: “I think every member of parliament who goes in and serves in the House of Representatives has that option available to them.”

“Now, down the track, if an opportunity presented itself ... But not while Malcolm Turnbull’s the Prime Minister because he’s the right Prime Minister to lead our party, not just to this election, but beyond.”

Mr Frydenberg also flagged his aspirations for the top job. “I aspire to be the best I can be, and if that can take me to the top job, you wouldn’t say no,” he told ABC radio.

A spokeswoman for Mr Dutton yesterday declined to comment on his proposal to cut the immigration intake.

A spokesman for Mr Turnbull said the Prime Minister’s office did not comment on cabinet matters.

Asked on Sky News about Mr Abbott’s proposal to cut immigration numbers, Mr Dutton said yesterday he was not proposing a cut now.

“People are feeling pressures within capital cities,” he said. “I understand that and I hear that message. I am not proposing to cut the numbers.”

In 2016-17, the government granted 183,600 permanent visas — 6400 fewer than the previous year.

There is capacity for the government to reduce numbers by not filling the quota.

Of the permanent visas granted, skill stream visas totalled more than 123,500 and family stream visas totalled more than 56,200.