Australia has never driven migration into reverse by design. Would slamming the brakes on be calamitous?

<p>Australia does have a migration challenge – but it’s not what One Nation and the Coalition think it is</p><ul><li><p><strong>Get our </strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl"><strong>new political email</strong></a><strong>, </strong><a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3"><strong>free app</strong></a><strong> or </strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl"><strong>daily news podcast</strong></a></p></li></ul><p>Australia is flirting with the idea of something it has never done: deliberately driving <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/08/net-overseas-migration-how-do-policies-compare-labor-coalition-one-nation-ntwnfb">net overseas migration into reverse</a>.</p><p>In the history of our immigrant nation, extended periods of more people leaving our shores than arriving have only happened during convulsive moments: economic collapses, wars, and pandemics.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/28/politics-really-newsletter-guardian-australia-free-best-daily-auspol-email-subscribe?CMP=copyembed">Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here</a></strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/12/australia-has-never-driven-migration-into-reverse-by-design-would-slamming-the-brakes-on-be-calamitous">Continue reading...</a>