The Morning Edition The rallies, the neo-Nazis, the flag-draping: How politics on immigration have led to this point
Sep 4, 2025
Join Chief Political Correspondent Paul Sakkal and Federal Political Correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos as they delve into the heated immigration debate following recent anti-immigration rallies in Australia. They discuss how political leaders grapple with public concerns while rejecting extremist ideologies, particularly neo-Nazism. The conversation also highlights the economic importance of immigration in sectors like healthcare, the role of media in extremist recruitment, and the broader global trends of xenophobia influencing local narratives.
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Balanced Political Framing
- Prime Minister Albanese tried to acknowledge legitimate migration concerns while condemning extremists without lumping everyone together.
- He framed high post‑COVID migration, inflation and housing stress as drivers of public anxiety rather than migrants themselves.
Migration Versus Natural Growth
- Migration drove most Australian population growth since 2004, with a COVID dip followed by a rebound that restored expected population levels.
- The post‑COVID surge largely reversed the earlier negative migration, so current population matches pre‑COVID forecasts.
Policy Continuity And Perception
- Labor intends to reduce migration from post‑COVID highs but maintain policy continuity from before the election.
- The political debate amplified perceptions of immigration as a problem even where public polling was mixed.