Hanson Pushes Migration Ban as Labor Pauses Holiday Visas

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for Australia to ban all migrants from countries listed on the government's "do not travel" advisory, naming Lebanon, Iran, Russia and Sudan as examples, citing security risks and the threat of terrorism.

"If they recommend don't travel there, why are we bringing those people here to Australia?" Hanson said, framing the proposal as a matter of national security rather than immigration policy.

The suggestion has drawn rare but critical bipartisan opposition. Coalition and Labor representatives pushed back, with one government MP arguing that Hanson should face the very communities her ban would affect — including persecuted Christians and Yazidis — and explain her position directly to them.

"I'm proud generally that Australian governments have always provided assistance to people persecuted around the world," another parliamentarian said, warning against what he called a wholesale adoption of Donald Trump-style immigration policy.

The debate comes as Labor has quietly suspended working holiday maker visa applications from 24 countries — a move that has puzzled immigration observers given that caps for the newly reopened program should not yet be anywhere near full.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke cancelled a scheduled address to the National Press Club this week, with reports emerging that cabinet has been unable to reach agreement on a cohesive migration policy. The government offered little explanation, with a spokesperson saying Burke "will have more to say" after completing his review of the entire migration program, spanning both temporary and permanent streams.

Some experts are urging caution before drawing conclusions about the working holiday visa pause, suggesting it may simply reflect a shift in how visa places are distributed — possibly toward lottery-based allocation models that have been floated in policy discussions.

However, any structural change to visa caps would require renegotiating bilateral arrangements with each affected country — a complex and lengthy diplomatic process.

The political heat behind all of this is unmistakably economic. With housing costs biting hard and rents climbing steeply, politicians across the spectrum are under pressure to demonstrate they are taking the affordability crisis seriously — and migration has become a visible lever.

"People can't get a home. Rents are through the roof. Families are living in tents," one MP said, capturing the mood that is driving increasingly bold proposals from all corners of parliament.