Politics · Australia · 22 hrs ago
Burke demands costings for Coalition plan to remove bridging visa holders
Australia’s Coalition opposition has proposed a migration plan that would remove more than 400,000 people on bridging visas and cut about 650,000 temporary migrants from the program.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the plan could require billions of dollars for detention places, compliance officers and new detention centres.
He is asking the Coalition to explain how it would pay for those costs.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor says higher tax revenue from skilled migrants would offset losses from fewer temporary visa holders.
The Coalition has not released full costings, and the Parliamentary Budget Office has been asked to analyse the plan rather than provide a full breakdown.
Taylor says the plan cannot be fully costed until closer to the election.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has challenged the Coalition to explain how it would fund its plan to remove more than 400,000 migrants on bridging visas.
Burke said expanding detention capacity and enforcement would cost billions of dollars and called for details on beds, compliance officers and detention centres.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the Coalition’s plan could not be fully costed until closer to an election.
The Coalition’s migration policy would cut about 650,000 temporary migrants from the program, while keeping permanent migration at 185,000.
The Parliamentary Budget Office has been commissioned to analyse the policy, but a full cost breakdown has not been released.
- Who
- Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.
- What
- Burke is demanding costings for the Coalition’s plan to remove more than 400,000 migrants on bridging visas.
- When
- October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- Burke says the plan requires billions of dollars for detention and enforcement capacity, and wants the Coalition to explain how it would pay for it.
Tony Burke and the government
Angus Taylor and the Coalition
Costings
Tony Burke and the government
Burke says the Coalition must explain how it will fund the plan and provide details about detention capacity and enforcement.
Angus Taylor and the Coalition
Taylor says the plan cannot be fully costed until closer to an election.
Budget impact
Tony Burke and the government
Burke says the scale of the proposed expansion would cost billions of dollars.
Angus Taylor and the Coalition
Taylor says higher tax revenue from skilled visa-holders would make the plan budget neutral.
we are talking billions and billions of dollars
We are absolutely confident that because we are raising the standards, raising the incomes and tax paid of people coming into this country, the cut in the numbers will be budget neutral
The Coalition released its migration policy.
Burke challenged the Coalition to explain how it would pay for the plan.
Taylor said the plan could not be fully costed until closer to an election.
- Bridging visa holders
- More than 400,000 targeted for removal under the plan Burke described
- Temporary migrants
- About 650,000 fewer under the Coalition policy
- Permanent migration
- 185,000, unchanged under the policy
- Coalition net migration target
- 100,000 for two years, then 160,000 in the fourth year
- Parliamentary Budget Office
- Commissioned to produce analysis, not a full cost breakdown
Sources
Related news
NSW government met gas industry group before reopening far-west exploration
Greens seek stronger digital safety laws, including right to sue tech firms
Australia delays ATO credit card payment ban until June 2027
Greens seek to block US execution livestream from being viewed in Australia
Big tech donations and lobbying face scrutiny amid Australia datacentre boom
Australia marks 25 years of military service in Afghanistan
Family seeks cancer-law change after former NSW detective dies
Rapid bus routes to Sydney’s new airport delayed as investment decision waits
NSW plans new lobbying rules covering local councils
Labor and Angus Taylor face political challenges before the summer break
NSW police fire investigators lack firefighters’ cancer safeguards
