Tony Burke demands costings for Australian opposition's migration plan

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke challenged the opposition Coalition on October 11 to explain how it would fund a major expansion of migrant detention and removals. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said full costings would come closer to the election.

Speaking to News24, Burke said plans affecting more than 400,000 bridging-visa holders would require billions of dollars. He asked the Coalition to specify detention beds, compliance staff and new facilities. His figure was a ministerial assessment, rather than a published budget calculation.

The Coalition proposes cutting temporary migrant numbers by about 650,000 while retaining a permanent migration program of 185,000. It also wants to increase skilled temporary worker numbers by 100,000.

Taylor told ABC's Insiders he was confident higher earnings and tax payments from skilled migrants would offset losses from reducing other categories. Full costings for the policy have not yet been published.

The Labor government aims to reduce net overseas migration to 225,000 by mid-2028. That measure is the difference between arrivals and departures, rather than the total number of visas issued.