South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has launched a fierce defence of immigration, warning that cutting migrant numbers to counter rising populism would be economic madness. Speaking at the Sydney Institute’s annual dinner on Wednesday night, the Labor leader invoked historical parallels that raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.
His choice of words was deliberate. Malinauskas described immigration cuts as ‘appeasement’, a term famously linked to Neville Chamberlain’s failed attempt to prevent war with Nazi Germany in the 1930s. The comparison signals how seriously he views the political moment.
Why such strong language? One Nation has been outpolling major parties in some surveys, putting pressure on mainstream politicians to respond. The Federal Labor Government plans to reduce net overseas migration from 301,000 last year to 245,000 this financial year, with further cuts to 225,000 by 2027-28. Pauline Hanson’s party wants numbers slashed to just 130,000.
Malinauskas isn’t backing down. The popular premier, formerly a union secretary, stood alongside Australia’s biggest employer group in rejecting what he called ‘a race to the bottom’. His position puts him at odds with some federal Labor colleagues just months after One Nation’s strong showing in South Australia’s state election.
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