Joyce says One Nation backs 'appropriate' immigration to boost housing construction
Despite running hard on claims migrants are driving up housing prices, rising political force One Nation concedes Australia needs more skilled migrants to address housing shortages.
One Nation recruit Barnaby Joyce has denied his new party is opposed to immigration, saying it is happy to welcome immigrants provided they add to the economy and don’t end up “on social security or on the crime pages’’.
Despite One Nation promising big cuts to immigration and warning that current levels are driving up housing prices and supply, Joyce said on Wednesday that One Nation acknowledged the need for more skilled migrants in the housing and building trades.
“It’s not a case that we don’t believe in immigration,’’ Joyce said at a doorstop interview on Wednesday, in response to a question from Capital Brief.
“That’s an absurdity. We believe in appropriate immigration. If you need builders, go out and find builders. Don’t just say we are going to bring in a whole range of other people.
