Taylor hits out at welfare for non-citizens in budget reply

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has defended controversial comments targeting non-citizens' access to welfare, insisting his Coalition would prioritise Australian citizens rather than exclude vulnerable migrant groups.

During his budget in reply speech on Thursday evening, Mr Taylor signalled that a future Coalition government would remove what he characterised as "Labor's handouts for non-citizens," drawing sharp focus to eligibility rules for permanent residents who have not yet acquired Australian citizenship.

First homebuyer scheme becomes flashpoint

The Coalition leader specifically targeted the first homebuyer 5 per cent deposit scheme, claiming Labor had inappropriately extended access to approximately 50,000 non-citizens.

"We will remove Labor's handouts for non-citizens," Mr Taylor told parliament. "Many Australians would be surprised to learn that non-citizens are eligible for welfare."

The scheme, introduced by the Albanese Government, has become a contentious policy battleground, with the Coalition arguing its expansion to non-citizens represents poor fiscal management at a time of cost-of-living pressures on Australian households.

Clarification on targeting claims

When pressed on whether his rhetoric amounted to targeting immigrants, Mr Taylor sought to reframe the debate as one about citizenship priorities rather than xenophobia.

"It's about putting Australian citizens first," he told 7.30. "I think it's extraordinary at a time like this that the government has cut support for older Australians' private health insurance and yet there is welfare for non-citizens."

The opposition leader's framing suggests the Coalition intends to position welfare eligibility as fundamentally linked to citizenship status, a distinction that could affect hundreds of thousands of permanent residents across Australia's major cities and regional centres.

Broader policy implications

The comments reflect deeper tensions within the immigration debate, with the Coalition attempting to draw a sharper distinction between citizen entitlements and access for non-citizens. This approach mirrors rhetoric from some crossbench and minor party members who have similarly called for restricting welfare availability.

The Albanese Government has not yet formally responded to the specific welfare eligibility claims, though the Treasury maintains current settings balance fairness with fiscal sustainability.

Source: ABC News