Australian Political Parties Commit to Reducing Overseas Migration

The Albanese government, the Coalition, and One Nation have all committed to reducing net overseas migration. This policy shift comes as the 2026 Intergenerational Report forecasts a demographic decline in rural areas, marked by lower fertility, reduced migration, and faster population ageing.

While regional cities with more than 50,000 residents are expected to maintain growth, smaller towns are facing a hollowing out effect. Since 2017, overseas migrants aged 15-44 have driven over half of all rural population growth, offsetting the trend of local youth leaving these areas.

Agricultural and business groups are urging leaders to avoid the politicization of migration policy to prevent a downward spiral of declining jobs and services. In contrast to the general rural decline, some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory are experiencing population growth due to younger age structures and higher birth rates.