Australia’s Immigration Crisis: The Need for Decisive Leadership to Address Labor’s Failures, By Paul Walker and Brian Simpson

Australia's immigration system is in disarray, with a ballooning asylum claim backlog, unchecked migration flows, and mounting social and economic pressures. The Labor government's inability to manage these challenges has exacerbated a crisis that threatens social cohesion and economic stability. As reported by Frank Chung on News.com.au on September 10, 2025, the Department of Home Affairs data reveals 98,979 individuals whose protection visa applications were denied but remain in Australia, alongside 27,100 awaiting decisions. This blog piece argues that Labor's immigration policies have failed dismally, creating a chaotic system that demands a strong, pragmatic leader, akin to a figure like Donald Trump, to implement bold reforms, address the asylum backlog, and tackle broader issues attributed to unchecked Leftism and globalism, such as housing shortages and cultural fragmentation.

The Labor government, under Anthony Albanese, has overseen a dramatic escalation in asylum claims and migration pressures since taking office in 2022. The backlog of 98,979 rejected protection visa applicants who remain in Australia, combined with 27,100 pending cases, represents a historic high, surpassing even the peaks under previous administrations. Former senior immigration bureaucrat Abul Rizvi highlighted to Chung that a growing number of student visa holders are applying for asylum, exploiting the system's delays to extend their stay. This surge, with 125,079 total asylum seekers in limbo as of July 31, 2025, reflects Labor's failure to enforce visa integrity and expedite deportations or resolutions.

Labor's policies have compounded the issue. The government's 2023 shift to a "last in, first out" asylum processing system, backed by a $160 million package, aimed to deter unmeritorious claims, but has failed to clear the backlog. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) faces nearly 100,000 cases, with new appeals outpacing resolutions. This inefficiency incentivises frivolous applications, as delays allow applicants to remain in Australia for years, often on bridging visas with limited rights. The Refugee Council noted in 2023 that these delays create "significant stress and anxiety" for asylum seekers, many of whom rely on under-resourced charities, further straining community resources.

Moreover, Labor's broader migration policies have produced a housing crisis. Net overseas migration reached nearly one million over 2022 and 2023, driving rental vacancy rates to a historic low of 0.9% and pushing median rents up by 11% nationally. The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council projects a 79,000-dwelling shortage over the next five years under current migration levels, exacerbating affordability issues for Australians. Labor's commitment to a 185,000 permanent migration cap for 2025-26, unchanged despite anti-immigration protests, ignores the backlog of partner and family visas, which former official Abul Rizvi warns could lead to legal challenges if not addressed.

Labor's legislative approach has also drawn criticism. The 2024 Migration Amendment bills, which expanded deportation powers and imposed harsh penalties, including up to five years' imprisonment for non-compliance, have been condemned by Amnesty International and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre as violating Australia's obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. These measures, rushed through with limited scrutiny, fail to address the root causes of the backlog, while alienating refugee advocates and risking further social division. The government's failure to deliver a promised "principles-based" migration plan, as noted by The Guardian in September 2025, underscores its lack of strategic vision.

Australia's immigration crisis demands a decisive, no-nonsense leader to enact bold reforms, much like Donald Trump's approach in the United States. Trump's policies, including stricter border controls and mass deportation initiatives, aimed to restore order to a system overwhelmed by illegal immigration. While controversial, his approach prioritised national sovereignty and economic stability, resonating with voters frustrated by unchecked migration. Australia faces a similar tipping point, where Labor's permissive policies have created an unsustainable "underclass" of asylum seekers, as Rizvi warns, threatening social cohesion and producing resentment.

A Trump-like leader in Australia would adopt several key reforms. First, they would overhaul the asylum processing system to eliminate delays, ensuring swift decisions and deportations for unmeritorious claims. The current backlog, which Greens senator David Shoebridge estimated in February 2025 would take a century to clear at the current pace, requires a streamlined process with increased resources for the AAT and federal courts. Second, they would impose stricter controls on temporary visas, particularly student visas, which Rizvi notes are increasingly used as a pathway to asylum claims. This could involve caps on student visa numbers and enhanced scrutiny to prevent abuse.

Third, a strong leader would address the housing crisis by temporarily reducing net migration to align with infrastructure and housing capacity. Canada's three-year population freeze, which led to a 2.3% year-over-year rent decline by August 2025, demonstrates the efficacy of such a pause. Australia could adopt a similar strategy, redirecting resources to boost housing construction while stabilising demand. Finally, this leader would confront the ideological underpinnings of Labor's policies, described as "Leftism and globalism," by valuing national interests over open-border ideals. This includes rejecting policies that erode cultural cohesion, such as unchecked migration from incompatible cultural backgrounds, and addressing public concerns about social fragmentation, as evidenced by anti-immigration protests in 2025.

Critics may argue that a Trump-like approach risks xenophobia and economic disruption, given Australia's reliance on migration for growth. However, the current system's failures, evidenced by the 125,079 asylum seekers in limbo and a housing crisis, are already undermining economic stability and social trust. A temporary migration pause, coupled with targeted reforms, would not halt immigration but recalibrate it to sustainable levels, as Canada has done. Economic concerns can be mitigated by prioritising skilled migration in critical sectors like construction, ensuring labour needs are met without overwhelming infrastructure.

Another critique is that harsh deportation policies violate humanitarian obligations. Yet, Australia's commitment to the Refugee Convention does not mandate indefinite residence for rejected asylum seekers. A fair, efficient system that processes claims promptly and removes those without valid claims upholds international law while deterring exploitation. The Nadesalingam family's case, resolved through ministerial intervention in 2022, shows that humanitarian outcomes are possible within a firm framework.

Labor's immigration policies have failed dismally, creating an asylum claim backlog of 125,079 individuals, producing a housing crisis, and undermining social cohesion. The government's inability to address the surge in student visa asylum claims, clear the AAT backlog, or deliver a coherent migration plan has left Australia vulnerable to economic and cultural strain. A bold, Trump-like leader is needed to enact decisive reforms: streamlining asylum processing, tightening visa controls, pausing migration to ease housing pressures, and prioritising national interests. While critics may decry such an approach as divisive, the evidence, skyrocketing rents, a growing underclass, and public unrest, demands action. Australia cannot afford to continue Labor's path of inaction and ideological drift; it needs strong leadership to restore order to the present chaos.

https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2025/09/proof-labor-has-failed-dismally-on-immigration/