QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator DUNIAM (Tasmania—Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) (14:30): My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. In light of Minister Burke's policy announcements at the Press Club today about the urgent need to bring immigration numbers down, why did the then home affairs minister, Clare O'Neil, say in September of 2022, 'Almost everyone agrees with Labor that immigration numbers into Australia need to rise.' She said, 'It is one of the biggest levers we have to drive our country forward, and Australia should pull it.' Indeed, why did the net overseas migration number then soar to an unprecedented figure of over 500,000 in the year 2022-23?