Despite 1m migrants in 2022-24, the Budget barely slackens the war on voters.

In his Speech, Chalmers congratulates himself, for "halving" migration down to 260,000. Ridiculous remark. Labor's so-called "migration nation" had never topped 200,000, before 2007. Or 300,000, before 2008.

This patrician first-term government is giving Peter Dutton a real chance, nuclear power or not. Don't know if he'd make a big difference, population wise though he has promised a cap on student numbers and a 25% cut in the permanent migration target.

There's still a danger, the upcoming election will perpetuate 250,000-300,000 net-migration annually, as the fake "normal" or minimum. That's 3-5 times the levels that would be desirable, to stabilise our population anywhere near 30 million.

Our economic future is indeed being Made in Australia. But that looks to include chronic housing unaffordability, widening inequality, and continuing ecological overshoot.