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'Incorrect': Joyce steps in on party's migration target

PerthNow ·
'Incorrect': Joyce steps in on party's migration target

Barnaby Joyce has defended his fellow One Nation MP over comments suggesting the minor party's migration numbers would not be much different to Labor's.

One Nation MP David Farley said on Sunday the party's migration policy would include an extra 100,000 people annually, on top of the 130,000 it had already flagged.

The overall number would be slightly higher than the forecast 225,000 people under Labor's policy.

The comments from Mr Farley were soon corrected by party leader Pauline Hanson on social media, who said the policy remained to reduce net overseas migration to 130,000 people.

Mr Joyce said Mr Farley had misspoke when he made the comments on migration numbers.

"Show me a political career where people haven't made a mistake, and I'll show you a person who's not told the truth," he told Seven's Sunrise program on Monday.

"I'm not going to throw anybody under a bus. When people are new in parliament, they can sometimes get things incorrect, and that's what happens. God knows, I've done it enough."

Mr Joyce said One Nation's policy remained at 130,000 people annually for net overseas migration.

Federal minister Pat Conroy said the different stances on policy from One Nation showed the party was incoherent on the issue.

"What we saw in the last 24 hours demonstrated why they're not fit to govern," he told ABC Radio.

"We're focused on on making sure that we've got the right migration mix to support the Australian economy, as well supporting our long-term foreign policy objectives."

Immigration Minister Tony Burke was set to make a speech at the National Press Club earlier in August unveiling a change to Australia's migration numbers, but the address was cancelled at the eleventh hour.

The speech was cancelled due to the policy not being signed off by cabinet amid internal disagreement.

The rise of One Nation in opinion polls has spurred a re-think on migration by Labor and the coalition.

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