Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1)

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Second Reading - 10 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 10 Mar 2026

The minister argues the bill is needed to let the government temporarily restrict travel by certain classes of temporary visa holders during overseas crises, with time limits, exemptions, reporting requirements and other safeguards. He says it will strengthen the migration system, protect the national interest and allow risks to be managed quickly and proportionately.

“It will also ensure that where risks can be appropriately managed, that travel limitations can be lifted as soon as it is in the national interest to do so. This bill allows Australia's visa system to continue to operate effectively and to the benefit of Australia. I commend the bill to the House.”

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Consideration in Detail - 11 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 11 Mar 2026

Hill defends the bill against proposed amendments, arguing that tighter tests would make the provision impractical and unworkable in a risk-based visa system. He says the bill is a sensible and necessary measure to protect the integrity of temporary visas and give government a practical way to respond when large numbers of visa holders may not intend a temporary stay.

“I'll finish on this point. Despite some of the hyperbole in the media commentary by others outside this chamber, this bill is a sensible step. It's necessary to maintain the integrity of the visa system. It's not a radical proposition. It's core to the entire operation of the migration system that, when someone is granted a temporary visa to Australia and they come to Australia on a temporary visa, the Australian community is confident that they intend a temporary visit. A temporary visa means a temporary visit. In circumstances where it becomes manifestly obvious that large numbers of people would not or may not intend a temporary visit, then the government needs the ability to respond, and currently the minister has the power to respond visa by visa, individually reviewing or cancelling individual visas. The government maintains that this is a sensible, necessary measure and, frankly, it avoids the cancellation en masse of large numbers of visas by simply suspending the ability of the visa holder to enter Australia.”

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Consideration in Detail - 11 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 11 Mar 2026

Hill argues that multicultural communities would support the bill because it protects an orderly humanitarian migration program and prioritises the most vulnerable people with the strongest connection to Australia, rather than giving temporary visa holders an advantage in seeking asylum onshore. He rejects crossbench amendments on the basis that they would unfairly privilege some temporary entrants over families already waiting in the humanitarian program.

“So I'm just not going to take the moral superiority, frankly, from people who overwhelmingly represent electorates with good Australians in them but are overwhelmingly not electorates where humanitarian migrants settle, whose community services don't get overwhelmed if we accept the kinds of propositions you're putting forward. I'm absolutely confident—and I'm just responding to the point you made in the debate—that the people I represent and that government members represent would support this legislation when they understand the practical consequences for their families and an orderly humanitarian migration program where our country is generous and we reserve the right to offer protection to the most vulnerable people out of an overwhelming case load with the strongest connection to Australia.”

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Consideration in Detail - 11 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 11 Mar 2026

Hill argues the government supports the bill as drafted and rejects proposed amendments, saying they would make the provisions unworkable and undermine visa-system integrity. He says the bill already contains appropriate safeguards, limited duration, ministerial and parliamentary scrutiny, and standard definitions of immediate family.

“With respect to the question of safeguards, the government's view remains that the safeguards that are provided for in the bill are appropriate. I'd restate that the bill doesn't affect or restrict the ability of a permanent visa holder of any kind to travel to Australia. It exempts very explicitly people who are already in Australia within the migration zone, their immediate family and any holder of a temporary humanitarian visa or a bridging visa associated with those temporary humanitarian visa classes. There are additional safeguards such that the exercise of the power by way of legislative instrument requires the written agreement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister and therefore the involvement and scrutiny of their officials in those ministries. It also requires, with respect to parliamentary scrutiny, that the instrument and the associated reasons be tabled in both houses of parliament, which provides, in the government's view—given that this is a rarely used power for significant events—the appropriate level of parliamentary scrutiny. It provides for a maximum of six months, following which there is the ability to remake but not to extend or vary a previously made determination, and it would need to be remade at the point in time based on new facts and circumstances. It also provides the power for the minister to exempt individuals from the arrival control determination.”

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Consideration in Detail - 11 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 11 Mar 2026

Hill argues that the proposed amendment is impractical because it would create an open-ended humanitarian visa obligation outside the normal budget and settlement planning process. He defends the bill’s approach as necessary to protect the integrity of the visa system and ensure migration and settlement services remain orderly and properly resourced.

“I'll choose my words carefully in observing that humanitarian migrants, at the kind of scale you're talking about, don't settle in your electorate. They settle in communities like mine. And it means an enormous amount to the people I and many of my colleagues represent that the humanitarian program is done in an orderly way, where the settlement infrastructure, schools, language schools and trauma support services can keep pace. With respect, the proposition that you're putting forward completely destroys the ability of the settlement services sector to do that. It's well meaning. It might get you in the newspaper. But, in effect, it could be a giant spending measure. It's unreasonable, which restricts the ability of the minister to exercise these powers without a new appropriation of potentially billions and billions of dollars. The core point remains. The government's view is that this is necessary to protect the integrity of the visa system. I restate in closing: it's not a controversial proposition that, when someone receives a temporary visa to come to Australia, the Australian people remain confident that they are coming for a temporary purpose, not for another purpose.”

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Consideration in Detail - 11 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 11 Mar 2026

Hill says the bill’s amendments will protect the integrity and sustainability of the migration system and give the government a faster, less draconian tool than cancelling individual visas when an urgent response at scale is needed. He also notes that officials can exempt appropriate individuals and allow them to travel to Australia.

“The government's view remains that the amendments in the bill demonstrate the government's commitment to protecting the integrity and sustainability of the migration system. The arrival control determination legislation is an important addition to the government's ability to regulate travel to Australia.”

BILLS;Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026;Consideration in Detail - 11 Mar 2026 Australian Labor Party • MP • 11 Mar 2026

In closing, Julian Hill dismisses opposition interjections as out of order and notes established parliamentary avenues for questions. He indicates support for the bill by thanking the opposition for supporting it.

“Mr HILL: As you well know—this is not question time—there are other forms of the House, including questions on notice. I'm sure the Senate would be flattered at the attention you just paid to Senate estimates, but I thank the opposition for your support of the bill.”