The federal opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has vowed to deliver one of the biggest immigration cuts in Australia history and called Labor “socialist in all but name” in a bid to rally the party faithful, six months out from the New South Wales election.
In a wide-ranging address to the NSW Liberal party state council in Sydney on Saturday, Taylor admitted the previous coalition government had its shortcomings, but said Labor was “utterly failing the nation”.
double quotation markFor the past four years, we’ve had a government in Canberra which is socialist in all but name.
Taylor said it was “divisive” for Labor politicians to “stand in front of three different flags instead of our one national flag”, referring to press conferences where leaders would deliver speeches with the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the national flag behind them.
After Labor unveiled its new immigration plan, which includes transforming a former quarantine facility into a new detention centre, and preventing international students from bringing their family members to Australia, Taylor offered to go further.
double quotation markI will deliver one of the biggest cuts to immigration in Australian history.
The opposition leader also promised to protect Australia’s national flag and Australia Day, and change laws regarding gender.
double quotation markWe will not allow the ideologues and activists to deny the truth … Under a Coalition government I lead, we will end this lunacy.
The Coalition will be hoping to win back voters from One Nation at the NSW state election in March.
