A broad alliance of business and civil society organisations is calling on the federal government to urgently convene a National Migration Summit this year to move beyond short-term politics, strengthen public confidence and develop a long-term plan for Australia’s migration system.
Migration is too important to be left to reactive policymaking or political point-scoring, according to the alliance, which represents industry, small business, social services and multicultural organisations.
The proposed summit would bring together governments, business, unions, community and settlement organisations, researchers, economists and migration experts to develop a shared national vision that balances economic opportunity, workforce needs, regional development, social cohesion and community confidence.
The summit would also provide a forum to seriously address legitimate community concerns about housing affordability, infrastructure and cost-of-living pressures through evidence and coordinated policy, rather than reactive debates narrowly focused on migration numbers.
For decades, governments of all political persuasions have recognised well-managed migration as one of Australia's greatest national strengths, supporting economic prosperity while helping build one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies.
Now is the time to renew that consensus.
The statement is endorsed by Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA), Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), Migration Institute of Australia, Minerals Council of Australia, Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), Regional Australia Institute, Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) and Settlement Services International (SSI), Tech Council of Australia.
Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO, Australian Council of Social Service
“Our diverse, multicultural society is one of our greatest strengths. We need to strengthen support for people newly arrived, so that everyone gets a great start to live with dignity and safety in this country. A National Migration Summit would progress this vision.”
Skye Cappuccio, CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA)
“Skilled migration is essential to small business, particularly in regional and rural Australia where local labour shortages bite hardest. For a local café, a regional tradie or a rural health clinic, the right migration settings can be the difference between staying open and turning work away.
Migration policy works best when it's grounded in evidence — informed by data and by the real experience of businesses and communities. That's how we build a program small businesses can plan and invest around, and importantly, trust to deliver.
That's why COSBOA supports the call for a National Migration Summit to create a migration strategy that strengthens our economy and keeps public confidence in the program strong.”
Prerana Mehta, CEO, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia
“A skilled, productive workforce and a cohesive multicultural Australia are not separate objectives – they are the same. FECCA is calling on government to convene a National Migration Summit as a forum where the system can align economic and workforce planning with the settlement and cohesion settings that sustain it with evidence, consultation and a shared national interest at its centre.”
Peter van Vliet, CEO, Migration Institute of Australia
“It is important to bring government, industry and the community together to develop a renewed, positive and agreed migration strategy both to benefit Australia and renew the social license for migration to Australia. The strategy should recognise the critical importance of targeted skilled migration and student migration to our economy as well as the social importance of other migration streams such as partner and humanitarian migration.”
Tania Constable, CEO, Minerals Council of Australia
“Australia’s mining industry needs skilled migration to grow and prosper. Skilled migration sustains economic growth, fills labour gaps and supports the sector’s role as a cultural and social anchor in regional communities. Co-designing the future of our skilled migration system is a positive way to consult broadly for a stronger future.”
Adama Kamara, Co-CEO, Refugee Council of Australia
“A National Migration Summit presents a vital opportunity to look holistically at how all migration streams meet Australia’s long-term needs. Genuine collaboration – bringing industry, civil society, and refugees directly into the decision-making process – is essential. Most importantly, when we design policy with key stakeholders, we create more effective, and more enduring outcomes for our entire nation.”
Liz Ritchie, CEO, Regional Australia Institute
"Regional Australia continues to be overlooked in relation to the migration system. We live with a persistent challenge – a mismatch between labour demand and supply. The strong demand for regional labour is severely limited by the lack of available skilled workers. This results in an even tighter labour market than metro areas and when it’s difficult to fill vacancies, it’s equally difficult to realise the immense opportunities through regional investment and service delivery. If improving Australia’s productivity is the number one priority, it’s high time regional Australia was prioritised and not an afterthought."
Maria Dimopoulos AM, CEO of the Settlement Council of Australia
“Australia’s migration system is strongest when migration and settlement work hand in hand. A National Migration Summit reflects the confidence and political courage to tackle one of Australia’s most important policy challenges through evidence, collaboration and a shared long-term vision for the benefit of all Australians.”
Violet Roumeliotis AM, CEO, Settlement Services International
“Australia desperately needs a long-term, evidence-based plan for migration. A National Migration Summit would help us move beyond the politics, strengthen public confidence and focus on what kind of country we want to build together. Australians deserve better than an endless debate about how much migration should be cut. They deserve a plan for the future.”
Full joint statement
Beyond Politics: A National Migration Summit for Australia’s future
A coalition of business and civil society organisations is calling on the Australian Government to convene a National Migration Summit this year, bringing together key stakeholders to address community concerns, build confidence in Australia's migration system and develop a long-term migration strategy that serves the nation’s economic and social interests.
Australia’s migration system should be shaped by evidence, informed by diverse perspectives and guided by our long-term national interests.
Migration is too important to be left to reactive policymaking or political bidding wars. The challenges are too important, and the opportunities too significant.
A National Migration Summit would help move the conversation beyond short-term politics towards a shared national vision for Australia’s migration system – one that balances economic opportunity and workforce needs, regional development, demographic change, nation-building, social cohesion, system integrity and community confidence.
There is a pressing need for an open forum to seriously and constructively discuss community concerns, including housing affordability, infrastructure and cost-of-living pressures.
These are legitimate issues that deserve serious attention through evidence-based, coordinated policy, rather than reactive responses narrowly focused on migration numbers.
For decades, governments of all political persuasions have recognised that well-managed migration has been one of Australia’s greatest national strengths. That bipartisan consensus has helped build a prosperous economy and one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies.
Now is the time to renew that consensus.
Australia has faced significant national challenges before and brought together diverse voices to develop solutions. Migration deserves the same considered approach.
A National Migration Summit would bring together all levels of government, industry peak bodies, businesses, unions, community and settlement organisations, researchers, economists, human rights experts and migration specialists to co-design a long-term, evidence-based roadmap for Australia’s migration system.
Such a summit should examine how Australia can:
- build a migration system that supports long-term economic growth and productivity and upholds human rights;
- respond to workforce shortages and the challenges of an ageing population;
- better align migration, infrastructure, housing and public service planning;
- maintain the integrity and efficiency of Australia’s migration and humanitarian systems;
- support successful settlement and social cohesion; and
- build public confidence by ensuring migration policy is transparent, evidence-based and focused on the national interest.
This joint statement is endorsed by:
- Australian Council of Social Service
- Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia
- Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia
- Migration Institute of Australia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Refugee Council of Australia
- Regional Australia Institute
- Settlement Council of Australia
- Settlement Services International
- Tech Council of Australia
Contact details:
Hannah Gartrell
M: 0423 965 956