Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy accuses opposition leader of playing divisive politics to chase One Nation voters, as Coalition prepares to unveil tougher migration policies including values testing and deportations.
Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has launched a strong attack on Opposition Leader Angus Taylor’s planned immigration reforms, describing them as “desperate dog-whistling” aimed at outflanking Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party on the right.
In comments made on Monday, Conroy criticised Taylor’s forthcoming policy speech, which is expected to include stricter “values testing” for migrants, social media screening for visa applicants, a crackdown on visa overstayers, and the creation of an “ICE-like” taskforce to identify and deport individuals who do not share what the Coalition describes as core Australian values.
“They let net migration explode after Covid, and now we’re just seeing desperate dog-whistling from Angus Taylor, who’s desperately trying to compete with One Nation in a race to the bottom,” Conroy told the ABC.
Values-Focused Migration Push from Coalition:
Taylor has argued that Australia’s immigration system must shift away from a purely non-discriminatory approach and instead prioritise applicants from countries with strong liberal democratic traditions, claiming they are more likely to integrate successfully.
The opposition leader has also signalled plans to strengthen character and values assessments, introduce social media vetting, and establish a dedicated enforcement unit modelled on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to remove those deemed not to uphold Australian principles such as the “fair go”.
The proposals come amid growing public concern over high post-pandemic migration levels and their impact on housing affordability, infrastructure, and social cohesion.
Government Hits Back at Critics:
Conroy dismissed the Coalition’s approach as lacking credibility, pointing out that net overseas migration rose significantly under the previous Morrison government following the easing of Covid-19 border restrictions.
He questioned the practical implications of the policy, asking which sectors would lose essential workers if stricter values tests were applied: “Who’s going to lose doctors, who’s going to lose nurses, who’s going to lose aged-care workers?”
The minister argued that robust character and security checks already exist within the migration framework, suggesting the opposition’s rhetoric was more about political positioning ahead of the next federal election than genuine policy reform.
Heated political debate:
The sharp exchange reflects rising tensions in Australian politics over immigration policy. Public opinion polls show mixed but increasingly concerned views on current migration intake levels, with issues of housing, cost of living and integration frequently cited as pressure points.
Migrant advocacy groups and multicultural organisations have condemned the Coalition’s language as divisive and potentially discriminatory, warning it risks stigmatising communities from non-Western backgrounds.
One Nation has welcomed aspects of Taylor’s stance, while some moderate Coalition figures have privately urged caution against overly inflammatory rhetoric.
The Albanese government has defended its own managed migration settings, insisting they balance economic needs with community expectations and that rules continue to be tightened where necessary.