At the rightwing Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Perth, Australia's Liberal Party heavyweights attempted to consolidate the fractured center-right, zeroing in on high immigration and housing shortages to court disenfranchised voters.

The event, billed as "Reset the West," served as a critical battleground for the soul of Australian conservatism following disastrous electoral defeats. Notably absent from the stage, however, was the populist One Nation party.

The rhetoric emanating from Perth holds profound implications for Australia's foreign policy and its posture toward immigrants, elements that directly impact the African diaspora and international students seeking opportunities Down Under.

The Liberal Party's Survival Strategy

Following humiliating defeats at both state and federal levels, the Liberal Party is in a state of existential reflection. The Perth CPAC event was less about policy innovation and more about ideological consolidation. Key figures like federal MP Andrew Hastie utilized the platform to directly attack the incumbent Labor government, specifically linking what they term "uncontrolled immigration" to the crippling domestic housing crisis. The strategy is clear: tap into the visceral economic anxieties of the middle class.

Hastie argued to the predominantly older crowd of attendees that the current political establishment has abandoned the working class. By framing high immigration as the primary driver of infrastructure strain, hospital overcrowding, and an inflation rate hovering near 4.9% in Perth, the Liberals are attempting to outflank far-right alternatives like Pauline Hanson's One Nation, which currently commands a worrying 20-25% of the primary vote in some polls.

The Economics of Immigration

While the political rhetoric is sharp, the economic reality is significantly more nuanced. The CPAC narrative simplifies a complex housing shortage driven by supply chain constraints, zoning laws, and historical underbuilding. Economic modeling presented by independent analysts suggests that halting migration entirely would actually result in higher property prices in the long term, contrary to the populist narrative.

• Liberal MP Andrew Hastie blames high immigration for domestic inflation and housing shortages.
• Economic data contradicts the claim that halting migration will solve the housing crisis.
• One Nation party conspicuously absent, despite capturing significant conservative market share.
• The focus remains heavily on "The Lost Australians" who feel economically left behind.

For East Africans and other international demographics, this hardening of conservative rhetoric is alarming. Australia has traditionally been a lucrative destination for skilled migrants and students from Kenya and the broader region. If the Liberal Party successfully mainstream these anti-immigration policies, visa requirements, student pathways, and permanent residency options could face severe legislative hurdles.

The Battle for the Center-Right

The conspicuous absence of One Nation on the CPAC stage indicates a deliberate Liberal strategy to absorb, rather than partner with, the populist fringe. By co-opting the language of the far-right while attempting to maintain a veneer of establishment respectability, the Liberals are walking a tightrope.

The overarching theme of "The Lost Australians" aims to build a coalition of the aggrieved. Whether this strategy can translate into electoral victory against Labor remains to be seen, but it guarantees that immigration and border control will remain highly weaponized issues in Australian politics for the foreseeable future.

"Immigration numbers are too high, while the standards are too low. People see this pressure on the roads, in our hospitals... That is why people are angry, and we must answer them."