Liberal frontbencher Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has expressed caution about the growing support for One Nation, saying that small business owners remain wary of the party’s “populist approach” to economic and migration policies. Speaking on Monday, Senator Price emphasized that the Coalition is developing a new small business strategy aimed at appealing to traditional sectors such as shop owners, self-employed individuals, and family-run businesses.
The strategy, expected to be unveiled in the coming months, will build on elements highlighted in Angus Taylor’s recent budget reply speech. Key proposals include making the $50,000 instant asset write-off permanent for businesses with turnovers under $10 million and repealing recent government changes to trusts. The Coalition plans to focus on skilled migration rather than broad cuts to immigration, positioning itself as a supporter of businesses that rely on foreign workers, particularly those in regional areas.
Senator Price noted that while small businesses are uneasy about Labor’s sweeping changes to working-holiday visas and other migration reforms, there are also concerns about One Nation’s approach to these issues. She said that business owners face uncertainty about whether One Nation policies would ultimately support their operations, citing the party’s stalled migration reduction plans as a key point of apprehension.
One Nation has proposed a net-negative migration policy for the first three years, followed by an annual cap of 130,000 on net overseas migration, significantly lower than the Coalition’s expected range of 150,000 to 170,000, which ties migration levels to new housing completions. Meanwhile, the Labor government plans to reduce its net overseas migration target to 225,000 by 2027-28 after years of exceeding initial targets by as much as 300,000.
Despite Senator Hanson and One Nation’s rising popularity, recent polling indicates that support for Labor leader Anthony Albanese has significantly declined, while the Coalition and Treasurer Taylor’s figures have remained relatively steady. In a three-way contest involving Albanese, Taylor, and Hanson, Taylor continues to lag approximately 10 points behind at 24 percent support.
Senator Price, who has previously taken a firm stance on migration, reiterated the Coalition’s commitment to skilled migration and defended components of the working-holiday visa system, which are vital for many regional businesses. She cautioned against drastic immigration changes that might disrupt the operational capacity of small businesses, underscoring the Coalition’s intent to balance migration policy with economic considerations.