Live: One Nation defends migration policy blunder
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Australian politicians are debating migration figures after a party member misstated policy details.
- Environment Minister Murray Watt acknowledged the detection of bird flu in a mammal is serious but prepared for.
- Watt is also defending government rules on lobbyist access to parliament amid a
One Nation is facing scrutiny over its migration policy after Farrer MP David Farley incorrectly stated the party's immigration figures on national television. The gaffe has led to public debate and criticism from other political parties.
We are likely to see more mass mortalities, which is obviously a terrible thing for all Australians who love our nature. But we have been preparing this for some time โฆ to make sure our populations are resilient, and we will continue to do everything we can.
During an appearance on Insiders, Farley cited a figure of 130,000 for net migration, a detail that has since been clarified and debated. Barnaby Joyce, also from One Nation, defended Farley, suggesting that new politicians can make mistakes. However, Tanya Plibersek, a minister in the current government, expressed a less forgiving view, highlighting perceived inconsistencies within One Nation's immigration stance.
They regulate, for example, the activities of former politicians, former staffers, [and] periods of time they can't lobby and use information they have been privy to. And of course, any lobbyist needs to be on the lobbyist register, so there is a high degree of disclosure and transparency.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Murray Watt addressed the detection of bird flu in a mammal, a long-nose fur seal found in South Australia. Watt described the development as "very serious" but not entirely unexpected, warning that further mass mortalities of wildlife are likely. He assured the public that preparations are underway to enhance the resilience of animal populations and that the government will continue its efforts to manage the situation.
It's 130,000 net, that means if you take the people coming, and the people going away, and the difference is 130,000 on the positive side.
In a separate matter, Watt also defended the government's regulations concerning lobbyist access to parliament. This defense comes in response to a Four Corners investigation that revealed numerous former defense officials have transitioned into lucrative lobbying roles, potentially influencing multi-million-dollar contract awards. Watt asserted that existing rules, including those for former politicians and staff, and the mandatory lobbyist register, ensure a high degree of transparency and disclosure.
Show me a political career where people have not made a mistake. That's not unusual. When people are new in parliament, they can get things incorrect.
Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.