Angus Taylor's Immigration Rhetoric Risks Forgetting Liberal Party's Multicultural Legacy
Australia's newly appointed Liberal leader, Angus Taylor, has frequently invoked the story of his grandfather, William Hudson, as a foundational narrative of his political identity. Hudson, a civil engineer, played a pivotal role in the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority in the late 1940s, famously overcoming political resistance to bring thousands of refugees from war-torn Europe to Australia. These migrants, arriving from at least thirty different countries, transformed the nation through their labor and diverse backgrounds, living in multi-ethnic camps and contributing significantly to Australia's development.
A Shift in Immigration Policy
However, within hours of securing the Liberal leadership by ousting Sussan Ley, Taylor appeared to disregard this legacy. He signaled a pronounced rightward shift on migration, warning that Australia's borders had been "open to people who hate our way of life" and asserting that standards were too low and numbers too high. This rhetoric, echoing former Prime Minister John Howard, linked immigration debates to recent security concerns, such as the Bondi beach terror attack, with Taylor declaring, "Australians are the solution to Australia's problems."
Taylor's comments drew a stark distinction between what he termed "good immigration" and "bad immigration," praising Italian migrants for introducing cappuccinos to Cooma while emphasizing that those who do not subscribe to "core beliefs" should be excluded. This stance risks fueling a divisive political debate, one that Pauline Hanson of One Nation has eagerly embraced, dismissing Taylor's leadership as merely "different jockey, same dead horse."
Business Demands and Electoral Realities
Business leaders across Australia are increasingly vocal about the need for skilled workers to drive economic growth. Taylor's hardline position contradicts these calls, potentially undermining the very economic ambitions he champions, such as home ownership and tax reform. The Liberal Party's electoral performance highlights the limited appeal of restrictive immigration policies; with only nine out of eighty-eight urban seats nationwide, the party has struggled in areas with high migrant populations. More than fifty-one percent of voters are either born overseas or have immigrant parents, yet the Liberals hold just two of the fifty electorates with the highest proportion of migrant voters.
This electoral dynamic was evident in the loss of key seats and rising stars like former MP Keith Wolahan under previous leader Peter Dutton, whose approach to migration was often criticized as ham-fisted. Right-wing figures within the Coalition, including Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, along with activist group Advance, had been pushing for a heightened focus on immigration even before the Bondi incident, though their proposed policy principles were never released.
Expert Warnings and Political Challenges
Immigration expert Abul Rizvi warns that Taylor may face pressure to emulate policy moves by Canada and New Zealand to cut net overseas migration. While some measures have been effective, Rizvi cautions that large fluctuations in migration levels often reflect poor policy decisions. He expresses concern that nuance will be lacking in the debate, especially as Labor also advocates for lower immigration levels.
Taylor's immediate political challenge is the upcoming byelection in Ley's seat of Farrer, likely scheduled near the May federal budget. This contest is expected to attract a crowded field, including One Nation, the Shooters and Fishers party, and teal independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe, who will have the backing of Climate 200. The result will serve as an early referendum on Taylor's leadership and his immigration stance, with Hanson's participation ensuring the issue remains at the forefront, often without factual basis.
Looking Forward
Angus Taylor has argued that the Liberal Party's decline stems from becoming too "attracted to the politics of convenience." To chart a better path forward, he should heed the lessons of his own role models, like William Hudson, and listen to business leaders advocating for skilled migrants. The economic growth Australia needs will be driven in part by ambitious, hard-working immigrants seeking better lives for their families, continuing the legacy of multiculturalism that has benefited all Australians. As Taylor stabilizes the Coalition, resisting pressure to escalate immigration debates could be crucial for both political and economic stability.
