Tony Burke, Australia's home affairs minister, has emphasized that the government's goal is to refine and improve the existing migration policy rather than drastically cut migration numbers. He warned that populist promises to significantly reduce net overseas migration would "trash Australian services and trash the Australian economy." Burke's stance was backed by employer groups, who cautioned that arbitrary cuts to migrant numbers would worsen existing skills shortages and harm businesses, especially in regional areas. Burke argued for an immigration system that aligns with Australia's economic needs, both in terms of the number of migrants and the types of workers they are. He used the example of plasterers, noting that nearly two-thirds of those working in Sydney and Melbourne were born overseas. Bran Black, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, supported the government's efforts to "restore integrity to the migration system," but he opposed new rules that would shorten the stay of most backpackers. He stressed that migration policy should focus on what the economy genuinely needs, pointing out that nearly one in three occupations in Australia face a shortage of workers. The Labor Party has been slow to develop a clear migration policy, which has led to public frustration, particularly after a post-pandemic surge in new arrivals. Misleading claims of "mass migration" have fueled this discontent, but few argue that the current system is functioning well or is in the best interest of the country or those in temporary visa limbo. Alan Gamlen, director of the ANU's migration hub, said Burke's approach appears to strike the right balance in regulating the temporary visa system without harming the economy. He noted that Burke avoided the trap of focusing on a specific net migration number, emphasizing that the strategy was the result of a thoughtful process addressing long-term structural issues rather than a quick reaction to One Nation's policies. In contrast to One Nation's proposal to reduce net overseas migration to 130,000 per year and the Coalition's suggestion of 150,000 to 170,000, Burke has maintained the government's forecast of 225,000 by 2027-28. He acknowledged that the public now expects the government to use tools to meet this forecast, as net overseas migration has been treated as a budgetary target in recent years. Burke argued that lower migration levels would harm Australian services and the economy. He pointed out that policies like those proposed by One Nation, which would deny skilled foreign workers the opportunity to bring family members, would not free up more visas for workers but would instead reduce the number of foreign doctors, tradies, nurses, and aged care workers willing to come to Australia. He noted that 50% of doctors and construction workers come with family, while two-thirds of nurses and aged care workers do so. Whether Burke and the Albanese government can convince the public that their measured approach is sufficient remains an open question. Gamlen suggested that their strategy could help ease the tension in the migration debate.