TV interview with Minister McAllister, News24 – 9 August 2026
Media event date: 9 August 2026 Date published: 9 August 2026 Media type: General public ANDREW CLENNELL: Jenny McAllister, thanks for your time. JENNY MCALLISTER: It's a pleasure. ANDREW CLENNELL: Let's start with this immigration story, then.
How drastic are these measures the government is considering? JENNY MCALLISTER: Well, Andrew, we've been really clear since coming to government that the immigration system needed a lot of attention. You'll recall that we asked Martin Parkinson to review it.
He said it was fundamentally not fit for purpose, that the last 10 years had seen a period of neglect of the system, and that it needed a 10-year reset. We've set about doing that, putting confidence back into the system. Net overseas migration is down 45% from the peak that it that it reached in 2023 after COVID.
We're resetting the skilled migration process already, but there's more work to do, and I think the minister's been clear about that, and the government's clear about it. ANDREW CLENNELL: There's not much confidence from Australians in the system at the moment, it seems, and the the size of the intake. Would you agree?
JENNY MCALLISTER: It's really important that Australians have confidence that the migration system is working in Australia's interests, and that has been the focus of all our work since coming to government. ANDREW CLENNELL: I've characterized the proposed immigration changes as having a real focus on getting construction workers in. How many can you get in, and do you concede that if the government wants to turn the conversation around on immigration and housing, this is what it will have to do?
JENNY MCALLISTER: Skilled migration is incredibly significant for our economy, and we've already taken a lot of steps. We've tripled the number of construction workers who've got visas since coming to government. We've also made it easier for construction workers to have their qualifications recognized, so that they can get into the industry and start, you know, building the houses that we know need to be built.
Of course, skilled migration is a focus of our efforts, and it's not just construction. It is, as as your earlier remarks indicated, law enforcement, defence, healthcare. These are all areas where we require skills, and we want to make sure that the migration system is responsive to those requirements.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Is there a cabinet split on this? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, I'm not in the cabinet, and you also understand that even if I were, I wouldn't be talking about this. But I think the government overall is really clear about our purpose.
We want people to have confidence in the migration system. We want it to work in the interests of Australians and the Australian economy, and we want to stamp out exploitation and rorts, and we've taken steps already to do that. But of course, there's more to do.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Does the rising vote for One Nation influence what you do here? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, One Nation talks a big game about standing up for ordinary Australians, but whenever they get the opportunity, they vote against better wages, they vote against job security, they vote against cost of living measures that would support ordinary Australians.
We don't set our policy by looking at what they do. We look at the national interest and we make our decisions on our analysis of what is in Australia's interest. ANDREW CLENNELL: The story in the papers: 1000s of graduate visas going to spouses and family members.
Could this be something that the government will be cracking down on? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, I'm not going to pre-empt the decisions that we'll take, but we're conscious of the impact that overseas student visas make on the overall migration intake. The last figures see international student net overseas migration coming down.
That is in response to the policy settings put in place by our government, and I observed that when we went into the parliament looking for an opportunity a few years back to actually take even further steps, the coalition blocked those measures and we weren't able to get those through the parliament. ANDREW CLENNELL: Let's talk about the gambling advertising legislation.
The changes in the government's bill include that gambling and wagering ads will be limited to three advertisements per hour per channel, between six and 830 p.m. and no such advertising during live sport broadcasts until 830 p.m. That's not exactly what the late Peta Murphy envisaged, is it? I mean, what difference will these restrictions even make in terms of gambling, and in particular, young people being lured to gambling?
JENNY MCALLISTER: Yeah, so we're trying to get a good balance. We want to break the nexus between sport and gambling, especially for young people. You know, we want parents to be able to take their kids to a game or show their kids a game on tellie, and not have the whole thing saturated by gambling advertising.
Of course, we still want people to be able to have a punt. You know, and so we're trying to find the right balance here. Some of the measures are really significant.
I think getting gambling advertising off jerseys, out of sporting stadiums, really important. You don't want your child putting on a footy jersey and having gambling material all over it. These are things that will make a real difference for parents, and it's one of the most ambitious packages that's really ever been brought through a parliament to tackle gambling.
Do ANDREW CLENNELL: You think you can get a deal with the coalition on it? JENNY MCALLISTER: Annika Wells, our minister, speaking very regularly to coalition spokespeople, speaking of course to to members of our caucus, members of the community, very engaged. I mean, we wanted to see this through the Parliament.
We think we've broadly got the legislation right, but if there are sensible amendments that could improve the bill, of course we're open to discussion across the Parliament. ANDREW CLENNELL: Can you confirm the government is looking to move on a few things, such as inducements? Could that be bonus bets being banned, or is it more things like flying gamblers around to attend events, the evidence we heard in the committee the other day.
JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, I won't front run the negotiations that Minister Welles is having with other parliamentarians, but I will say that she's very engaged, she's listening, and she will have been paying attention to the evidence that was brought forward in the Senate committee over the last week. ANDREW CLENNELL: Let's move to your portfolio, the NDIS. The coalition did a deal to send your reforms to a Senate inquiry.
You made a speech where you said the Senate inquiry means in the last two and a half months the scheme has cost $1 billion more than when it was originally announced, and the inquiry is delaying things. Do you want this inquiry wrapped up as quickly as possible? JENNY MCALLISTER: Yeah, the point I'm making is that there are real harms that arise from delay.
There is too much fraud in the scheme, and every week that goes by, I see more and more money lost to fraudsters and shonks that should be going to people with disability. The Coalition proposed a six-month delay to the legislation. We came to an agreement with the Greens for an eight-week delay.
It's allowed extra scrutiny of the bill. It's wrapping up this Friday. I think it's time for the Parliament to get onto this.
ANDREW CLENNELL: In terms of the cuts you're looking to make, we heard all this before from the government, and the scheme is still growing at 10% a year. So how can you, how can we believe that if this bill gets through, that you're going to be able to stem the growth of this thing. JENNY MCALLISTER: Okay, so we came to government.
It's growing at 22% a year under the coalition. We've got that down to 10 or 11% and that is a strong start. But there is way more to do.
ANDREW CLENNELL: It's shocking, though, isn't it? This scheme is well above inflation. JENNY MCALLISTER: This scheme should be growing at the rate of an ordinary social program, and we think that's about 5% a year, and that's the agreement we've come up with.
ANDREW CLENNELL: But you want 2 to 3% only in the first few years, don't you? JENNY MCALLISTER: An average of 2% over the forward estimates is what we are targeting to get this scheme back into a sensible range. And look, put it...
ANDREW CLENNELL: It sounds like BS to me. I mean, how do you get to two to 3% from 10% all of a sudden, JENNY MCALLISTER: Andrew there are a range of decisions we're taking. They go to resetting social and community participation budgets, presently costing in the order of $12 billion a year, set to grow to $20 billion a year without our reforms.
These are difficult changes, but they are necessary to get the scheme back on track. ANDREW CLENNELL: If the bill gets through, would you stake your reputation on that target over the forward estimates, 2 to 3% a year? JENNY MCALLISTER: These reforms have been thought through very carefully.
We've modelled them. We believe that these reforms are achievable and that the targets are achievable. But yeah, it's a big challenge, a big piece of work to get on top of a scheme that was let to grow much larger than expected under the coalition.
They didn't do anything about it. We are getting this scheme back on track, so it's here for the long term for the people who need it. ANDREW CLENNELL: See, I think the budget contains 63 billion dollars in savings over the forward estimates, including 38 billion from the NDIS, so that's you know 60% of the savings.
If you don't land this, Jim Chalmers' whole budget is cooked, isn't it? JENNY MCALLISTER: We're really confident about the reforms we're proposing. We think that they are reasonable.
We think they're achievable. We think that they will put the scheme on a sustainable footing, so that is there for people with disability in the future who need it, and that's what matters. We want the public to have confidence that this scheme is the right size, that the issues around fraud are being dealt with, and that the quality of services that are being offered to disabled people are as people would expect.
ANDREW CLENNELL: You said in this speech last week the scheme is losing 4 billion a year to fraud. You and I had a brief conversation yesterday before this interview, and I think you indicated. Let me see if I listened correctly here.
There were 1400 plan managers, and nine out of 10 have red flags for fraud. Is that right? And you're looking to reduce the number of managers?
JENNY MCALLISTER: That's exactly right. So plan managers play a really important role managing integrity in the scheme. About 50% of the market is handled by about 20 big companies.
The rest of the market is handled by about 1400 companies, and the smallest 1000 of those see very significant indicators for fraud. 9 out of 10 of that bottom 1000 companies have some flag for fraud or integrity. That's not okay. ANDREW CLENNELL: That's unbelievable.
JENNY MCALLISTER: It's not okay, and we are moving to deal with that by commissioning plan managers. We'll go to market. We'll have a panel of reputable plan managers who have to meet integrity standards.
Again, an area of the scheme that was let out of control under the previous government. We are taking active steps to clear up. ANDREW CLENNELL: Sure, but you've been in for four years.
You know, you had Bill Shorten before you. Where's the action been on this? I mean, you know, I'm not having a crack at you, Minister, because you've only just come into the role, but you know when you learn this, what's your reaction in terms of what previous ministers, including Bill Shorten, have done about this?
JENNY MCALLISTER: Bill did an incredibly important job at getting the scheme back on track, reducing growth from 22% to where it is now, around 10 or 11% Part of that was about making it clear what you could spend money on and what you couldn't, and you'll remember a very contentious debate in the Senate, but a very important one in 2024, led by Minister Shorten.
He also built a compliance architecture. We're now, of course, seeing increasing numbers of convictions, I think we've had 18 jail sentences since we set up the fraud fusion task force. But actually, the underlying market needs to be fixed.
It's why we've gone into this budget saying that we would like to commission plan managers, and it's one more reason to get the bill passed. I am dependent on getting this legislation through the Senate, so I can take these steps that are necessary to clean up this market. ANDREW CLENNELL: How can that stuff have been unpoliced for more than a decade?
JENNY MCALLISTER: It is shocking, and I think the coalition were shockingly negligent in failing to set up any basic compliance arrangements for this scheme. ANDREW CLENNELL: There's been concern around house prices and the fact the government's tax changes have led to a housing slump. Now, Chris Minns, the New South Wales Premier, has attributed the reduction in prices partly to your tax changes.
Do you concede the changes have led to a decline in house prices? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, we see house prices move around for a range of reasons, and I think the Reserve Bank Governor acknowledged this earlier in the month, you know, interest rates obviously play a very significant role in the level of investment and the price of housing. Our modeling indicates that the tax changes that we've introduced will see house prices continue to grow in the medium term, albeit somewhat more slowly than would otherwise have occurred.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Has it led to a decline in house prices this year? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, we see a range of factors weighing on the housing market, and interest rates are obviously part of that Andrew, ANDREW CLENNELL: Has it led to a decline in house prices this year? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, we are seeing adjustments in the market, and that occurs from time to time.
It happened in 2017 to 2019. ANDREW CLENNELL: Is that a yes or a no, Minister? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, I mean, I think the data around house prices is there for people to see, but the Treasury modelling was that our changes would see house prices continue to grow in the median term.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Do you think the tax changes this year have led to a decline in house prices or not? JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, I think I've answered your question, Andrew. The factors that weigh on housing markets include interest rates and supply, and it's why our investments and measures in housing are really designed to increase supply and also to put in first-time buyers on an even footing with investors when they go to an auction.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Okay, David Brat has been confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Australia. Can I have a reaction to that? JENNY MCALLISTER: Oh, look, this is obviously a welcome appointment.
You know, our alliance with the United States is an incredibly significant feature of our international relationships. We've engaged very closely with the administration over time, but of course, an ambassador in Australia will be very welcome, and I know that Minister Wong will be looking forward to her engagements with him. ANDREW CLENNELL: It's certainly been a long time coming, hasn't it?
JENNY MCALLISTER: Look, from time to time, ambassadorial appointments -you know- do take a while to fill. We've got very capable staff serving Australia, and we're really, really pleased with the engagement that we have with the administration. ANDREW CLENNELL: Jenny McAllister, thanks so much for your time.
JENNY MCALLISTER: Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister Disability and carers Accessibility We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past and present. © Commonwealth of Australia