David Farley says One Nation's migration numbers are "not too different" to its political rivals. (AAP: Bianca de Marchi)
One Nation MP David Farley told ABC Insiders the party's migration cuts put it on footing "not too different" to the government, at a figure of about 230,000 a year.
Party leader Pauline Hanson has since written that One Nation's net migration target would be 130,000, "less than half" the government's current migration levels.
Labor is planning an overhaul of temporary visas as it seeks to slash arrivals, while the Coalition is developing policy to tie migration to housing construction rates, as both seek to ward off One Nation on the issue of migration.
One Nation MP David Farley says immigration rates to Australia would not be "too different" to Labor or the Coalition under Pauline Hanson, as he suggested a figure close to the government's migration target of 225,000 by 2028.
Mr Farley told ABC Insiders One Nation would not seek to cut migration rates deeper than about 230,000 a year, saying the migration target would be a net overseas migration rate of about 130,000 plus "a minimum" 100,000 skilled workers under established visa schemes.
However his comments to Insiders have been quickly refuted by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who wrote on social media a few hours after his appearance that One Nation's policy was "to cut net overseas migration to 130,000", and that the party's target was "less than half Labor's current level" of about 300,000.
The net overseas migration (NOM) rate accounts for the total number of people entering Australia with plans to stay at least a year minus those leaving, including those entering on visa programs such as working holiday-maker visas, the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, and skilled worker visas.
Mr Farley said once One Nation's "true NOM" and skilled visa targets were combined, its migration rate of about 230,000 would be similar to figures already forecast by the government.
"The raw number is not too different, but the reality is where do we need them. We don't need them in the great urban 'metroplex'. We need them out to be productive, working out in agriculture, engineering, mining, etc," Mr Farley said.
"The big difference is we are focusing on what are the skills we need as a nation."
The causes of migration are murky and it is harder for politicians to control than they would like to admit.
Mr Farley said One Nation was focused on net migration "in its true form", plus workers from several necessary visa programs, citing about 40,000 migrants under the Pacific workers visa, about 68,000 to 70,000 skilled aged care migrants and skilled mechanical and engineering workers.
He said that category would make up "a minimum" of 100,000 more visas granted each year under a One Nation government, on top of what he described as the "true" net overseas migration rate of 130,000.
But Senator Hanson has since written that the party's policy was to cut total net migration to 130,000, mainly through reducing immigration by international students and dependents, a "dramatic" reduction in temporary graduate visas and "a much more targeted skilled migration program".
