Australia risks a populist uprising

A new report from The Australian Population Research Institute (TAPRI) contends that Australia may be on the brink of a political realignment, similar to movements in the UK, France, and the US, driven by populist challenges to mainstream policies on immigration, cultural diversity, net zero, and free trade.

While commentators dismiss this possibility, the authors argue that voter insecurity and mass temporary migration are laying the groundwork for such a shift.

Temporary migration surge:

The report notes that net overseas migration (NOM) has surged since 2022, with 1.2 million net migrants added to Australia’s resident population over the years 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, driven by temporary visa holders (students, bridging visa holders, working holiday makers).

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About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.