Brisbane, Australia – Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has ignited controversy by accusing One Nation and the federal opposition coalition of “scapegoating” immigrants and tapping into a “deep vein of racism” due to their stance on immigration policy. Sivaraman made the comments during a panel discussion at a human rights seminar in Brisbane on Wednesday, hosted by the state’s human rights commission.

Sivaraman alleged that the opposition is “dehumanising, scapegoating migrants” by blaming them for various societal issues. This criticism comes in response to the opposition's proposed immigration reforms aimed at addressing housing shortages and strained social services. The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has argued that current immigration levels are unsustainable, leading to a decline in housing affordability and placing a strain on essential services.

Taylor has proposed capping immigration based on housing construction rates and restricting access to welfare programs for non-citizens. He stated that his approach would be to “discriminate based on values,” prioritizing immigrants who are likely to contribute positively to Australian society. These proposals have been met with strong opposition from left-leaning groups, who accuse Taylor of racism and xenophobia.

In response to Sivaraman’s comments, Taylor defended his party’s position, stating that the issues are a result of government failures, not the fault of migrant communities. He acknowledged the importance of migration but emphasized the need for sustainable levels that do not outpace the country's infrastructure and housing capacity. He noted that migration reached 550,000 in a year while housing construction declined, contributing to housing affordability issues for young Australians. Taylor accused the current government of exceeding its migration targets while failing to meet housing targets, building approximately 70,000 fewer houses than targeted.

The debate over immigration policy highlights a fundamental disagreement about the role of government, the importance of national sovereignty, and the best approach to managing population growth. Conservatives argue that controlled immigration is necessary to protect Australian jobs, preserve national identity, and ensure the sustainability of social services. They also argue that immigrants should assimilate into Australian culture and adopt its values.