Tim Webster:
Very happy to say that Adam Creighton joins me on the line. Good day, mate.
Adam Creighton:
Good morning. Thanks for having me.
Tim Webster:
No, thanks for talking to us in Smithy’s absence. So where are they coming from? I read about the tiers of migration that we’ve got and the tradies are on the third tier. Is that right?
Adam Creighton:
Yes. Well, that’s right. Look, I mean, we have a skilled migration programme, but the reality is less than one-third of the roughly 180,000 permanent immigrants every year are actually skilled, which is the big revelation from that column I wrote and in various news articles this week. And so that’s kind of a shocking statistic, really, because we’re told all the time that it’s a skilled programme and that it’s somehow removing shortages from the labour market. But then, separate data from the ABS shows that shortages are actually through the roof. So we’ve got well over more than one-half million immigrants in the last few years, largely unskilled and shortages have increased.
Tim Webster:
Yeah. And by the way, listeners, this is not Adam and I being right wing extremists. These are figures coming from the ABS. We’re not making them up.
Adam Creighton:
Yeah. Absolutely right.
Tim Webster:
Yeah. So where does Tony Burke get that? I mean, they just say such glib things, politicians. “Oh, we got to build houses so we need the tradies to build them.” But if they’re on the third tier, I mean, how many tradies are we getting?
Adam Creighton:
Well, look, very few. In fact, last year I looked at one particular class of visa called the temporary skilled visa, and there’s something like 250,000 people on that visa. And I was just shocked to know that only 3% of those people, some 4,000 or 5,000 actually have trade skills. And this is in the midst of a housing supply crisis.
And as far as I understand it, there’s various professions like actors and even auctioneers, which are higher up the skill level than tradesmen, carpenters and so forth. So it’s a completely ridiculous system, basically, which needs a major overhaul. I mean, I’ve gone so far to say it’s a fraud, really. I mean, you can’t go around saying it’s a skilled system when it’s clearly not.
Tim Webster:
When it’s clearly not. Clearly not. Yeah.
Adam Creighton:
Yeah.
Tim Webster:
So who is coming? Family reunions, that kind of thing.
Adam Creighton:
Yeah. Well, that’s basically it. So if someone is chosen for their skills, and actually we have to be very suspicious even when they’re chosen for skills, to be honest, because research shows that even those who are chosen for being skilled don’t even work in their field of skill more than one year later, so that’s a joke. But those who are chosen as skilled, their family are automatically classed as skilled as well.
Tim Webster:
What?
Adam Creighton:
So obviously, if you’re a man and you’ve got a wife and two kids, then your wife and two kids are skilled immigrants as well, according to the definition that the government uses.
Tim Webster:
Okay. So what’s the government trying to do here? I mean, obviously, they’re rubbery figures and they can’t argue with the ABS. So when you front them about this, they say, “Oh, well, it’s still, we’re trying to get skilled people here.” But I mean, those numbers just fly in the face of that. So you say to yourself, “What are they on about?” They’ll tell you anything, won’t they?
Adam Creighton:
Well, look, I’ll say that we won’t get skilled people if you can’t bring their families.
Tim Webster:
Yeah, yeah.
Adam Creighton:
I’m sure that’s true with some of them, but I mean, the reality is we don’t need all these people anyway. I mean, we have the highest rate of immigration in the entire world basically. So, look, if some people don’t come, then that’s fine with me.
Tim Webster:
Yeah, exactly. So you have to say to the government, “Really, what are you talking about?” Because we’re trying to build all these houses. We are well behind. And I mean, thousands behind on the housing accord to build them. And then they tell you there’s tradies coming. And I know, I mean, I’ve got family, mates, I’ve got friends, tradies, carpenters, and they’ll tell you there is no way known they’re going to build the houses they want to build because the tradies simply aren’t there. The apprentices aren’t coming through all of that. And then the government tells us we’re importing skilled tradespeople and we’re not. I mean, you’re right, it’s a fraud.
Adam Creighton:
Right. And just in terms of home building, it’s extraordinary. We actually built more homes 10 years ago than we build now with a much larger population, much larger workforce. I mean, it really is scandalous just with how badly managed the workforce has been.
Tim Webster:
Yeah. And you don’t have to be a genius to know. I mean, every time we do polls and surveys, top of the list as a concern for Australians is immigration. Number two, close behind is cost of living, and the two are tied together. They are.
Adam Creighton:
Yes. Well, no, that’s certainly true, especially on the rental front where you’ve seen rent surge across the country.
Tim Webster:
Yeah. All right, mate. Well, again, it’s not us being right-wingers.
Adam Creighton:
No, not at all.
Tim Webster:
And it’s ABS stats. The numbers are there. And by the way, you can go on the ABS website and have a look for yourself, can’t you?
Adam Creighton:
Yes. Yes, that’s right. You certainly can. Just Google school immigration.
Tim Webster:
Yeah. And you’ll find it. Thanks, mate. Good to talk to you. Thanks a lot.
Adam Creighton:
Okay. Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Tim Webster:
Adam Creighton, who’s from the Institute of Public Affairs. And by the way, if you look at Adam’s piece in The Australian, you can read that too.
This transcript with Adam Creighton talking on Breakfast 2SM with Tim Webster from 14 July 2026 has been edited for clarity.
