‘Australia’s proposed Muslim-country ban could risk $7B trade with Indonesia’

CANBERRA, Australia (MNTV) — As Pauline Hanson of Australia’s One Nation party prepares to address the National Press Club on June 17, former Immigration Department Deputy Secretary Dr Abul Rizvi has laid out a series of detailed questions on her signature immigration policies that he says she has yet to answer, reports Independent Australia.

Hanson’s appearance is expected to draw more scrutiny than her usual interviews. With few detailed policies publicly outlined, Rizvi argues her stance on immigration — the issue she is best known for — should be tested beyond what he describes as “delay tactics.”

One Nation’s website states the party will “cut immigration by over 570,000 people from current Labor levels.” In an interview with The Noticer, Hanson said immigrant arrivals would be capped at 130,000 annually, resulting in net overseas migration of -100,000. Rizvi notes that immigrant arrivals and visas are different measures, and asks Hanson to clarify One Nation’s targets for net overseas migration and permanent migration, specifying what would be cut and by how much.

He also questions how she would “cap” immigrant arrivals, given that arrivals cannot be confirmed until 12 months after entry and the Migration Act contains no power to cap net migration. Would One Nation seek new legal powers, and has it obtained advice on how that would work?

On broader policy questions, Rizvi asks what lessons Hanson has drawn from the Trump administration, what One Nation’s cost estimate and timeframe would be for mass deportations — including expansion of detention facilities — and how it would avoid wrongful detentions and deaths.

Hanson has said she would ban migration from Muslim-majority nations. Rizvi asks whether she has sought legal advice on whether such a ban would breach Section 116 of the Constitution, which prohibits laws on religion, and whether the Racial Discrimination Act and Migration Act would require amendment.

Two of Australia’s closest neighbours, Indonesia and Malaysia, are Muslim-majority countries. Rizvi asks whether One Nation would ban migration from them, and whether Hanson is concerned about the impact on defence ties, people-smuggling cooperation, and trade relations. He notes that Australia’s trade agreement grants 99% of goods duty-free access to Indonesia, with exports topping $7 billion in 2025, including cereals, meat, and minerals.

One Nation’s website states it would withdraw Australia from the Refugee Convention. Rizvi asks whether Hanson views withdrawal as symbolic, or whether it would mean returning refugees to places where they face persecution, torture, or execution — and whether she believes Australians would support that.

Rizvi also questions One Nation’s support for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) visa, one of the few visa categories Hanson says she would retain. Senate evidence has shown PALM workers face high rates of exploitation, injury, death, absconding, and asylum claims, with thousands now undocumented. Given these facts, Rizvi asks why One Nation has singled out PALM to retain.

Finally, he raises the backlog of around 120,000 partner visa applications, with 65,000 new applications lodged each year but only 41,000 places available. The Migration Act requires demand-driven management of this category, which Rizvi says the current government is breaching. He asks how a One Nation government would clear the backlog, comply with the law, and reconcile that with a reduced migration target.