Findings from The Indian Sun’s national reader survey last year pointed to a clear pattern, with concerns around cost of living, housing and infrastructure closely tied to views on migration among Australian households.
New data now suggests those concerns may be deepening and spreading across a wider section of the electorate, including among migrants themselves.
A survey commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs and conducted by research firm Fox and Hedgehog indicates strong support for lower migration levels across multiple demographic groups. According to the findings, 79 per cent of Australians support reducing annual migration to 100,000 or less, while 60 per cent believe there are too many migrants in the country.
The sentiment extends to migrant communities, with 59 per cent of first-generation migrants agreeing there are too many arrivals, and 75 per cent supporting a reduction in intake.
Daniel Wild, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs, said the results reflect frustration with long-term policy settings. “Australia’s political establishment has failed our nation with years of unrestrained mass migration without providing adequate infrastructure, and without enforcing a meaningful values test on migrants who come here,’’ he said.
The survey also points to broader unease about direction and identity. More than half of respondents said they no longer recognise the country they grew up in, while 48 per cent believe migration settings are being used to influence electoral outcomes.
These findings align with earlier polling reported by the ABC in Western Sydney, where a large majority of voters supported reducing migration, often linking it to housing availability, congestion and rising costs.
At the same time, political consequences are beginning to take shape. Separate Resolve Political Monitor polling has placed Pauline Hanson’s One Nation at 24 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of the Coalition, reflecting a shift in voter alignment that is drawing attention across both major parties.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected claims that migration policy is being used for political advantage and criticised rhetoric he described as divisive. “One Nation a political movement that focuses on dividing Australia and pitting Australians against Australians,’’ he said. “I don’t think they come up with positive solutions. They amplify grievances rather than come up with solutions. And I think that hope and optimism and developing plans for a positive future is what Australia needs.”
Mr Albanese also dismissed suggestions that migration standards have weakened. “Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to say things they know aren’t true,” he said, pointing to existing visa and security checks.
With South Australia heading into elections on Saturday, the state is now being watched as an early test of whether these shifts in sentiment translate into votes. While cost of living remains the dominant issue, migration is increasingly part of that conversation, particularly where it intersects with housing and infrastructure pressures.
The outcome may offer a clearer indication of how far voter attitudes are moving, and whether concerns reflected in both community surveys and national polling begin to reshape the political landscape.
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