Australian EconomyAustralian PoliticsImmigration

Why One Nation leads on immigration and skills

Leith van Onselen
Wednesday 2 September 2026
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Australia has experienced the biggest migration boom in the nation’s history.

According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, 1,100 net migrants per day landed in the first 3.5 years of the Albanese government.

NOM per day in office

As a result, there were nearly 300,000 more migrants in Australia as of Q4 2025 than if migration had followed the pre-pandemic trend. That’s nearly 300,000 more people needing housing and infrastructure.

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NOM versus pre-pandemic trend

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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.