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A leaked immigration proposal within Australia’s Liberal Party has sparked debate after it revealed plans to ban migrants from specific regions across 13 countries, including parts of Gaza, Afghanistan and Somalia. The plan was developed before Sussan Ley was removed as party leader and replaced by Angus Taylor. However, it was never formally presented to the shadow cabinet before the leadership change.
According to reports, the proposal targeted 37 regions in countries such as Afghanistan, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Somalia and Yemen. These areas were reportedly identified because listed terrorist organisations are believed to have territorial control there. The idea was to prevent people from those regions from migrating to Australia.
The former shadow immigration minister, Scarr, has publicly distanced himself from the proposal. He said he never proposed or agreed to such a policy and expressed “serious concerns” about any blanket ban based on regions. It is also understood that he had raised concerns internally when the proposal was first discussed within the party.
Beyond the regional bans, the plan also aimed to speed up the removal of up to 100,000 asylum seekers and international students from Australia. It suggested limiting appeal rights for visa holders and preventing some from applying for other types of visas after a rejection. The proposal included stricter screening measures, such as reviewing migrants’ social media activity and public statements to identify extremist views.
Ley had originally intended to release the policy in December, but it was delayed following the Bondi terror attack. She later planned to announce it in mid-February and use it to pressure the government on immigration. However, her leadership loss to Taylor halted those plans.
Migration has quickly become a key issue under Taylor’s leadership. In his first address as opposition leader, he said migration numbers had been “too high” and standards “too low.” He argued that people who do not believe in democracy, the rule of law or basic freedoms should not be allowed into Australia. He also stated that some individuals are unwilling to adapt to Australia’s core values, which he described as unacceptable.
Within the party, some senior members believe Taylor may take an even tougher stance on immigration than Ley had planned. Discussions have reportedly included reducing permanent visas, cutting student visas and lowering net overseas migration. Figures under consideration range between 160,000 and 220,000 per year. This compares with the government’s current plan of 185,000 permanent migrants for the 2025–26 financial year, with net overseas migration projected at 260,000. While this is already lower than the surge seen after Covid-19, the opposition believes further reductions may be necessary.
The proposal also comes at a time when Australia’s visa appeals system is under pressure. As of late January, tens of thousands of study visa decisions and asylum rejections were under review at the Administrative Review Tribunal. Many cases take several years to finalise, adding to concerns about delays in the system.
Following the Bondi attack, changes were made to the Migration Act to strengthen the government’s power to refuse or cancel visas if individuals promote hatred or extremist views. The Liberal proposal would go further by expanding screening processes and tightening eligibility rules.
It remains unclear who will take on the immigration portfolio under Taylor’s reshuffled shadow cabinet. A new lineup is expected to be announced soon as the opposition prepares to make immigration a central issue ahead of the next election.