Back to Back Barries: why Labor is split on migration
Guardian AU
β’Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:25 GMT
π° What Happened
In the latest Back to Back Barries podcast, hosts Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry analyse a rift within the federal Labor party over migration policy that saw home affairs minister Tony Burke withdraw from a scheduled National Press Club address. The episode also examines new Redbridge polling suggesting small federal gains for One Nation and the Coalition, and touches on Victorian politics, listener questions and Jetstar's new cabin luggage charges.
π The Backstory
The Back to Back Barries podcast pairs veteran political journalist Barrie Cassidy with strategist and pollster Tony Barry, providing fortnightly analysis of Australian politics. The migration tensions stem from debates inside Labor about whether to adopt tougher immigration settings in response to public concern and the rise of One Nation, with Burke reportedly facing pressure from both MPs and business groups over any sweeping changes.
π― Why It Matters
The episode anchors a key week in Australian federal politics in which migration has re-emerged as a contested election issue and a source of internal division for the governing party. It signals how polling-driven parties are calibrating policy in response to One Nation's appeal, and reflects a broader contest over who owns the immigration debate heading into the next election.
In the latest Back to Back Barries podcast, hosts Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry analyse a rift within the federal Labor party over migration policy that saw home affairs minister Tony Burke withdraw from a scheduled National Press Club address. The episode also examines new Redbridge polling suggesting small federal gains for One Nation and the Coalition, and touches on Victorian politics, listener questions and Jetstar's new cabin luggage charges.
The Back to Back Barries podcast pairs veteran political journalist Barrie Cassidy with strategist and pollster Tony Barry, providing fortnightly analysis of Australian politics. The migration tensions stem from debates inside Labor about whether to adopt tougher immigration settings in response to public concern and the rise of One Nation, with Burke reportedly facing pressure from both MPs and business groups over any sweeping changes.
The episode anchors a key week in Australian federal politics in which migration has re-emerged as a contested election issue and a source of internal division for the governing party. It signals how polling-driven parties are calibrating policy in response to One Nation's appeal, and reflects a broader contest over who owns the immigration debate heading into the next election.