Social media screening of visa applicants would be ramped up under an immigration policy to be revealed by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.<\/p>\n
In the year to September, the Australian population grew by 400,000 people, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. About three-quarters of that growth was driven by overseas migration.<\/p>\n
Immigration caps would, Coalition members have confirmed, take into account the need for skilled migrants.<\/p>\n
“Cost of living is crushing Australians, and housing is right at the heart of that,” Mr Taylor said.<\/p>\n
The opposition leader has held off revealing what cap he would apply to net overseas migration.<\/p>\n
“What we have seen in recent years is numbers are too high, the standards are too low, and both must change,” he said.<\/p>\n
“On the numbers, the limiting factor is the housing we have in this country, as well as the services and infrastructure we have.”<\/p>\n
Under the federal government’s national housing target, 1.2 million homes would be built by the end of the decade, but the construction sector has warned that meeting that target will be unlikely<\/a>.<\/p>\n Treasurer Jim Chalmers has conceded more needs to be done to promote housing growth.<\/p>\n “Our policy reflects the need to build more homes, many more homes, and to make sure there are more affordable options for people to get a toehold in the market,” he said.<\/p>\n “I think housing is one of the defining challenges in our economy.”<\/p>\n He said the legitimate concerns about it getting harder for people to buy their first home had to be dealt with.<\/p>\n “That’s the motivation behind the 5 per cent deposits, the supply question is the motivation behind tens of billions of dollars this government is investing in housing,” Mr Chalmers said.<\/p>\n Migration vs homes built<\/p>\n Net overseas migration was forecast to fall to 260,000 in 2025\/26<\/a>, but in the year to September, the number reached 311,000.<\/p>\n The Coalition has pointed to higher-than-planned migration numbers and a shortfall in the number of new homes expected to be built as a problem.<\/p>\n “It’s no wonder young Australians can’t buy a home, it’s no wonder people are having to line up in queues to rent a home, and they can barely afford to do it when they do,” he said.<\/p>\n The Coalition says economic needs, and the need for skilled workers, would be taken into account as part of the promised policy. (ABC News: John Gunn)<\/p>\n Rental vacancy rates across Australian capital cities and the regions remain below 2 per cent, with prices expected to continue to rise<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Housing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5e140b1b73d9eca8249308b184c9402a.jpeg\")
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