Tanya Plibersek rejects refugee cut claims, admits Labor must take hard look after defeat to One Nation

Tanya Plibersek has rejected suggestions the Albanese government abandoned plans to reduce Australia’s refugee intake, insisting no proposal to cut the humanitarian program was ever considered by Cabinet.

The dispute follows reports Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intervened after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was reportedly preparing to recude the number of refugees accepted by Australia by about one-third as part of wider efforts to curb migration.

Speaking to ABC Insiders, Ms Plibersek questioned the origins of the reports and said Labor’s existing commitment remained unchanged.

“I don’t really know where this story came from. We reconfirmed our number as recently as a month ago at the national conference,” she said.

“There was certainly no discussion in cabinet,” Ms Plibersek told BAC Insiders.

“I can’t tell you where the story came from. But the Prime Minister made very clear our position during the week. Yeah, 20,000 … It’s a permanent commitment.”

Ms Plibersek was also questioned about Labor’s defeat to One Nation in the Western Australian by-election for Secret Harbour, where the result marked a set back for the party.

“Of course, we look at any outcome like this and try to draw lessons from it. And I think there’s a few lessons in here for the Liberal Party as well,” she said.

“The Western Australian Liberals basically said: it doesn’t matter who wins as long as it is not Labor. I’m not sure that’s a winning strategy for them, either,” she said.

While stressing that the by-election was primarily fought over State matters, Ms Pliebrsek conceded Labor should still consider whether it needed to change how it communicates with its voters.

“This is a State election run on State issues. And I think they’re the predominant issues,” she added.

“However, it is important that all of us have a good look at the results here and think about what more we need to do to communicate the fact that the Labor Party is the only party focused on real delivery.”