Immigration not a yes or no issue: Shorten
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is keeping coy about whether Labor would change Australia's immigration levels if it wins the next election.
Asked about the party's plans for immigration, Mr Shorten said it is "not a simple yes or no issue".
How many immigrants Australia accepts in future should hinge on the population that the nation's infrastructure can support, Mr Shorten said.
He stressed plans for where new arrivals live, such as regional areas or other places hoping to accept more of them, are also important.
"If we can take people in based on our infrastructure, based upon moving people to the regions, that's a plus," he said.
"Immigration has been good for Australia but there's no point in bringing in masses and masses of people if our infrastructure isn't keeping pace."
His comments came after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton suggested during his failed bid to become Liberal leader reducing Australia's annual permanent migration intake.
David Coleman has taken over the immigration portfolio, but he sits under Mr Dutton.
