Voter’s message to Albo: Overwhelming new poll reveals the vast majority of Aussies across all political parties – including the Greens – want immigration cut

A new poll has revealed almost two-thirds of Australians, across all ages and political demographics, are in favour of reducing immigration.

The Newspoll, published in The Australian on Monday, took 1,265 voters’ opinions on immigration and its effects last week.

The survey showed Australia is experiencing nationwide immigration anxiety amid housing shortages and increased unemployment.

An astonishing 64 per cent of those interviewed wanted fewer people permanently moving to Australia, a jump that coincided with increased support for anti-immigration hardliner Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party.

As One Nation enjoys its newfound popularity, it’s believed Liberal leader Sussan Ley will soon adopt a harsher stance against immigration than that of her predecessor, Peter Dutton.

Labor, which governed the country during a massive post-Covid immigration boom from 2022, is likely to shift its focus on mitigating the negative effects of heightened immigration, rather than slashing it.

Labor leader Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked if he believed the rise of anti-immigration sentiment was linked to the increased support for One Nation. 

‘We will continue to govern as a party that is interested in reform, but rejects extremes of the right or of the left,’ he said.

Both major political parties under Anthony Albanese and Sussan Ley are expected to shift policies towards either reducing immigration or mitigating its supposed negative effects

‘We reject those approaches, and we continue to put forward things that make a practical difference to people’s lives,’ Albanese added.

Of the 64 per cent of voters who wanted fewer immigrants, 39 per cent said they wanted ‘a lot fewer’.

Only three per cent of voters wanted a lot more immigrants, seven per cent supported more immigration and 26 per cent were satisfied with current levels.

As for immigration opinions across political parties, 78 per cent of Coalition supporters back immigration cuts along with 94 per cent of One Nation voters.

Among Labor voters, almost 50 per cent wanted less immigrants compared to just 10 per cent who were in favour of boosting immigration.

Greens voters were more closely divided but the majority of 32 per cent want less immigration and 27 per cent want more.

An overwhelming majority of voters aged over 50 supported reduced immigration, followed by 61 per cent aged between 35 and 49, and roughly 50 per cent of those aged 18 and 34 years old. 

Of the 1,265 people surveyed, 55 per cent believed immigration had both beneficial and harmful effects, 23 per cent thought immigration was beneficial and 20 per cent saw it as having a negative effect.

Support for a reduction of immigration was evident in voters across all political parties (pictured, Sydney CBD Pitt Street Mall) 

Support for immigration was also limited across all education levels with only 32 per cent of university educate Aussies viewing it in a positive light, followed by 19 per cent of those with TAFE qualifications and 13 per cent with no tertiary education.

In the year to March, Australia’s net overseas migration was about 316,000, according to the Bureau of Statistics.

This is significantly down from a peak of 556,000 in September 2023 but it’s still a considerably higher immigration intake than in the five years before the Covid pandemic, when it averaged 230,000.