Senior Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has warned that the party could “die” as a political movement unless it takes a tougher stance on net overseas migration, which he blames for fuelling Australia’s housing crisis.
Hastie told parliament and later reiterated in media interviews that the Coalition risked further decline if it failed to win back disillusioned voters drifting to One Nation and minor conservative parties.
“If we don’t act, we can expect anger and frustration,” Hastie wrote in an Instagram post on Sept. 24.
“We might even die as a political movement. So be it. What is the point of politics, if you’re not willing to fight for something?”
The Liberal frontbencher insisted the party could not stay frozen in time.
“A lot of people would like us to stay exactly where we are, including some people in our party, but we can’t—the world has changed.”
Migration Linked to Dropping Housing and Fertility Rate
During the latest parliament session, Hastie used his speech to link surging migration with housing affordability and even Australia’s declining birth rate.
“So many young Australians have lost hope of owning a home, and if they can’t build a home, it’s very hard to start a family. Now that might in part explain the collapse of our fertility rate to 1.5 births per woman, the lowest in our history,” he said.
He noted that Australia’s rapid population growth was not driven by more children but by record migration.
“Historically, the 20-year average for the [net overseas migration] from the years 2000 to 2019 was about 190,000 people per year. Yet post-COVID net overseas migration has exploded. In 2023–24 the [number] was 446,000 people, the largest group temporary students, with 207,000 arrivals,” he said.
With the number of new arrivals nearing the one million mark, Hastie argued it was straining infrastructure, stretching schools and hospitals, and pushing the housing market out of reach for many.
“Then overseas migration must come down. Our first allegiance is to all Australian citizens and making sure they have a roof over their heads,” he said.
Hastie’s remarks come just weeks after nationwide “March for Australia” rallies demanding immigration cuts, which drew thousands of protesters and clashes with counter-demonstrators.
Politicians including Pauline Hanson, Bob Katter, and Malcolm Roberts addressed the events, intensifying the debate over migration policy.
