QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (14:47): Senator Bell, you've answered your own question by saying that we haven't yet revealed the figures for net overseas migration. That will be updated at the mid-year financial review. That's what happens.

They get updated in the budget, they get updated in MYEFO, and that will occur again this year. In the meantime, the government will continue doing the hard work to come up with a sensible migration policy that does continue to build on our efforts, which have already reduced net overseas migration by 45 per cent. But we will do it in a way that doesn't plunge the Australian economy into recession, that doesn't leave our hospitals and aged-care facilities short of the workers that they need— Senator Bell: On a point of order on relevance, I did ask about the latest prediction for net overseas migration.

The PRESIDENT: And the minister's being directly relevant to your question. Thank you, Senator Bell. Senator WATT: As I say, those figures will be updated in MYEFO, and our migration policy will not plunge Australia's economy into recession, leaving people unemployed.

It will not deprive Australian hospitals, aged-care facilities, construction sites or the hospitality industry of the workers that they need, and it will certainly not turn Australians against each other in the way that One Nation is determined to do.