Labor has made a lasting concession to a migration debate that shows little sign of rewarding them for joining it.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has now gone further by formally accepting the figure as a target and effectively turning it into a guarantee.
Fronting the National Press Club on Thursday, Burke declared the NOM forecast "must be met" and was unequivocal when pressed on the possibility of failure.
Research conducted by his firm Redbridge over the past year has found migration is a salient issue for only about 10 per cent of voters, with most already supporting One Nation.
One Nation want to plunge into the negative before settling at 130,000 in three years' time, while the Coalition will tie its target to housing completion rates and likely settle on an NOM of between 150,000 and 170,000.
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Summarized version
There is no guarantee Labor will get any political dividend from hitting 225,000.
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Labor has made a lasting concession to a migration debate that shows little sign of rewarding them for joining it.
A Treasury forecast for net overseas migration to fall to 225,000 had already become a political benchmark to judge the federal government against.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has now gone further by formally accepting the figure as a target and effectively turning it into a guarantee.
Most Labor MPs will be glad to see the end of constant speculation about Labor's temporary migration policy, preceded by the six-week delay in unveiling the plan.
Burke delighted in dispelling some of the inaccurate reporting when he announced the tighter visa rules aimed at bringing down arrivals and increasing departures.
Fronting the National Press Club on Thursday, Burke declared the NOM forecast "must be met" and was unequivocal when pressed on the possibility of failure.
The distinction was academic, but future governments may wish Labor had never formally accepted NOM as a "target".
Research conducted by his firm Redbridge over the past year has found migration is a salient issue for only about 10 per cent of voters, with most already supporting One Nation.
Even on housing, only about 30 per cent of Australians believe migration has contributed in some way.
One Nation want to plunge into the negative before settling at 130,000 in three years' time, while the Coalition will tie its target to housing completion rates and likely settle on an NOM of between 150,000 and 170,000.
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