Coalition MPs concede immigration pledge not fully costed by independent watchdog

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Published: 2026-10-07T07:00:34.963Z • Permanent link

Coalition MPs have conceded that the immigration pledge made during the 2022 federal election was not fully costed by the independent watchdog, the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). Angus Taylor, the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, stated that the opposition had worked closely with the PBO, but Liberal sources claim that the budget office has not yet conducted a full analysis of the policy. This revelation has significant implications for the coalition government's immigration reform plans, which have been under scrutiny from opposition parties and experts alike.

The controversy surrounding the cost of the immigration pledge began to emerge in August 2022, when a report by the PBO estimated that the plan would result in a net loss of around $43 billion over the next decade. However, the coalition government has maintained that the report was based on flawed assumptions and that the true cost of the policy would be significantly lower. The PBO has since been conducting an in-depth analysis of the policy, but the delay in releasing the results has fueled speculation about the government's true intentions.

The opposition has seized on the delay, accusing the government of hiding the true cost of the policy. "The government's failure to provide a comprehensive analysis of the immigration pledge is a clear indication that they are more interested in making promises than delivering results," said a spokesperson for the Labor Party. The Liberal Party has responded by claiming that the PBO's analysis is still ongoing and that the government is not yet ready to release the results.

The revelation that the immigration pledge was not fully costed by the PBO has significant implications for the AI & Tech Ecosystems domain. Companies such as tech giants and startups have been investing heavily in immigration reform, with many believing that a more streamlined and efficient immigration system would provide a competitive advantage in the global marketplace. The delay in releasing the results of the PBO's analysis has created uncertainty among investors and researchers, who are now questioning the government's commitment to immigration reform.

The delay also has implications for research communities, which have been eagerly awaiting the results of the PBO's analysis. Researchers have been conducting studies on the impact of immigration reform on the economy, and the delay in releasing the results has made it difficult for them to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the policy. The opposition has promised to conduct its own analysis of the policy, which could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the costs and benefits of immigration reform.

The controversy surrounding the cost of the immigration pledge is part of a larger pattern of government inaction on immigration reform. In 2020, the government announced a new points-based immigration system, which was intended to attract highly skilled workers to the country. However, the system has been criticized for being overly complex and bureaucratic, and many experts believe that it has failed to deliver the desired results.