Calls to cut immigration in Australia have become a unifying issue, with overwhelming support for dramatic reductions crossing party lines, states, and language groups.
The inaugural Sky News Pulse/YouGov poll, conducted between January 20-27, laid bare the depth of voter frustration with nation’s immigration system.
Sixty-four per cent of voters wanted lower immigration, compared to just eight per cent favouring either a small or big increase.
A striking 43 per cent of respondents said Australia needed a “big cut” to immigration, while 21 per cent called for at least a small decrease.
Meanwhile, 28 per cent of Australians want immigration numbers to remain about the same.
If political leaders were to follow the will of the voters, it would represent a major shift in the country’s approach to migration.
The Sky News / YouGov poll was conducted with a sample of 1500 voters, and was representative of the voting population by age, gender, region, and income.
The poll shows that support for cutting immigration was strong across political lines, including the majority of Labor Party voters.
One Nation voters overwhelmingly backed cuts, with 92 per cent calling for lower immigration, as well as 98 per cent of National Party voters.
Seventy-four of Liberal Party and 83 per cent of LNP voters supported lowering migration, with minimal support for increases.
More than half of Labor voters (51 per cent) want immigration reduced, as well as nearly half of Greens supporters (43 per cent).
The data shows that Australians’ desire for lower immigration was not confined to traditionally conservative voters.
New South Wales and Victoria, the states home to the largest portion of migrants, both wanted cuts (69 per cent and 57 per cent).
Even among households speaking a language other than English at home, most voters support lower immigration.
Overall, 66 per cent of English-only households wanted cuts, along with 51 per cent support among non-English-speaking households.
The poll underscores that immigration is now one of Australia’s most pressing voter concerns, alongside cost of living, housing affordability, and crime.
It comes amid a rise in support for One Nation, whose hardline stance on immigration has clearly resonated with the electorate.
The party polled at 25 per cent nationally, ahead of the Liberal Party on 14 per cent, and even the former Coalition parties vote combined at 20 per cent.
One Nation’s platform has long called for a reduction in the number of immigrants and for the government being more selective about where they come from.
Key elements of One Nation’s platform include capping annual immigration at 130,000 across all visas.
The minor party has also pledged to refuse migrants from countries linked to extreme ideologies and enforce an eight-year waiting period for citizenship and welfare.
The party has also called for withdrawing from the UN Refugee Convention, arguing that Australia should retain full control over humanitarian intake.
Under the Albanese government, net overseas migration was forecast to be 260,000 in 2025-26.
The treasury’s annual population statement recently revised down its forecasts for departures, due to migrants with temporary visas not leaving the country.
“Migrants on temporary visas are departing Australia at lower rates than in the past,” Treasury said in the statement.