Senior Liberals have rushed to discredit former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, after he said Treasurer Scott Morrison was “wrong” for suggesting slashing Australia’s immigration program would result in a $5 billion hit to the economy.
Abbott provoked the rebuke from the former Immigration Minister after proposing Australia's immigration intake be cut from 190,000 to 110,000, in spite of evidence Australia’s optimum migration levels are between 160,000 and 210,000 people.
Acting Prime-Minister Mathias Cormann and Trade Minister Ciobo have also hosed down Abbott’s claims, with the Trade Minister labelling them “palpably absurd.”