One Nation’s immigration policy is hard to define – even by its own MPs

Pauline Hanson’s party does not have a firm grasp on its own migration targets. Here is how it has evolved in the past year

One Nation has kicked off the week with a blunder after struggling to define one of its key policies – immigration.

The Pauline Hanson-led party’s surge in popularity this year, according to polling, has been met with additional scrutiny over its policies – and none more so than the one it is best known for.

But, as they attempt to explain how they’d reduce migration while ensuring enough skilled and essential workers to keep the country running, One Nation’s members have repeatedly tripped up.

The party’s official policy, according to its website, is to support zero net migration.

The party says it will permit only highly skilled migrants from “culturally cohesive” countries.

One Nation updates its immigration policy online, revealing it will cap visas at 130,000 per year. It’s unclear whether this is permanent migration or a net overseas migration (Nom) cap.

Nom is the overall gain or loss of population through long-term arrivals and departures. Permanent migration is the number of long-term visas offered to skilled workers and family members.

Malcolm Roberts tells the Senate One Nation’s immigration policy will actually result in a negative net immigration rate of 90,000 a year.

“With around 220,000 departures a year, we will only allow 130,000 people a year to enter. Ninety thousand more people will leave than will enter,” he says.

“We must cut the numbers drastically,” Pauline Hanson says in a late-night adjournment speech to the Senate.

“One Nation’s policy is to cap immigration at approximately 130,000 per year, numbers we can actually accommodate. When we can, then we can look at increasing those numbers over a period of time.”

In speaking on a private member’s bill to establish a plebiscite on immigrations, NSW senator Sean Bell proposes net zero migration – equalising the number of people entering the country with those leaving – for a period of five years.

“The other parties have ignored the concerns and the pleas for help from everyday Australians struggling against mass immigration and the pressure it puts on this country. It is time that it stops,” Bell said.