Anthony Albanese has guaranteed Australia's annual refugee intake will not be slashed in 2027-28, shutting down reported plans to cut the quota by one-third to Coalition-era levels.
Key facts
- Anthony Albanese guaranteed the refugee intake will not be cut next financial year.
- Reports on Thursday said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke planned to cut the intake from 20,000 to 13,750 in 2027-28.
- The proposed reduction would have amounted to a cut of roughly one-third, returning to Coalition-era levels.
- Labor MPs and refugee advocates reacted angrily to the reports, according to the Guardian.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved to guarantee that Australia’s annual refugee intake will not be cut in the next financial year, according to the Guardian. The intervention came after reports emerged that the government had been planning to reduce the number of arrivals accepted under the program.
The Guardian reported that Labor MPs and refugee advocates reacted angrily on Thursday morning to news that the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, was planning to cut the intake of 20,000 arrivals to 13,750 in the 2027-28 financial year. That reduction would have amounted to a cut of about one-third.
According to the Guardian, the proposed figure would have returned the refugee quota to levels seen during the previous Coalition government. The report indicated the plan generated significant internal and external pushback before the prime minister intervened.
Albanese’s guarantee effectively shuts down the plan for the arrivals quota to drop, the Guardian reported. The prime minister’s public assurance means the current intake level is set to be maintained rather than lowered as had been outlined in the earlier reports.
The episode highlights tensions within the governing party over migration policy, with the reported plan drawing criticism from within Labor’s own ranks as well as from refugee advocacy groups, according to the Guardian.
Why it matters
Australia's refugee intake determines how many people fleeing persecution can resettle in the country each year, directly affecting thousands of lives. The reversal signals internal disagreement within the Labor government over migration policy and how it balances political pressures against its stated commitments.
Frequently asked questions
What was the reported plan for Australia's refugee intake?
According to the Guardian, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was planning to cut the intake of 20,000 arrivals to 13,750 in 2027-28, a reduction of about one-third.
What did Anthony Albanese decide?
The Guardian reports that Albanese guaranteed the annual refugee intake will not be cut next financial year, shutting down the plan for the quota to drop to Coalition-era levels.
Who reacted to the reported cut?
The Guardian reported that Labor MPs and refugee advocates reacted angrily to the news on Thursday morning.