CANBERRA โ One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, demanding an immediate halt to new subclass 786 Temporary Humanitarian Concern visas for Palestinian nationals and urging the government to begin repatriation of those in Australia on temporary protection. Ms Hanson posted the letter on social media, saying the war in Gaza is over and that returning temporary visa holders should be expected to go home.
Hanson linked her demand to domestic pressures. She said Australia is facing a severe housing crisis, essential workers struggle to find rentals, and families are sleeping in cars. She argued that temporary visas are meant to be temporary and that Australian citizens must come first. Her post concluded that charity begins at home.
The subclass 786 Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa is a short-term protection measure that, in recent years, has been used for people affected by conflicts. The Department of Home Affairs says the visa is granted for three years, includes work and study rights, and provides access to services such as Medicare for eligible holders. Holders of a subclass 786 visa do not have automatic travel rights to re-enter Australia if they depart.
The Albanese government, through the Home Affairs portfolio, has previously compared the 786 pathway to temporary measures offered to Ukrainians in 2022. Authorities have said the pathway does not automatically confer permanent stay, and offers are often made on a case-by-case basis. Advocacy groups and legal services have produced fact sheets and guides explaining the two-stage process that can include an initial temporary stay visa followed by the subclass 786 offer for eligible applicants.
Statistics and reporting show Australia has offered temporary protection to hundreds or thousands of people affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict. Media reporting in early 2025 noted nearly 1,000 temporary humanitarian visas granted in three months, and other public data indicated thousands of temporary visas and a larger number of applications. The numbers and timelines have prompted debate between advocates who call for clearer pathways to durable protection and critics who warn of pressure on housing and services.
Government officials have not publicly indicated an immediate change to the 786 program in response to Ms Hansonโs letter. Home Affairs ministers have previously emphasised that offers of temporary protection are subject to security checks and that national security remains a priority. The departmentโs public guidance also stresses that subclass 786 visa holders may have limited rights to travel and that visas cease if holders depart the country without clearance.
Opinion and political reaction are sharply divided. Some conservative voices and several media outlets have echoed Hansonโs call to prioritise Australians amid stretched housing and infrastructure. Other commentators and humanitarian groups counter that temporary protection was extended in response to an acute crisis and that responsible policy must balance national needs with international obligations and human safety.
For the Jewish and pro-Israel community, the debate touches on broader issues of national security, social cohesion, and the management of protest movements. Community leaders have previously urged governments to rigorously assess security risks, while also advocating for measured, lawful responses that do not conflate peaceful migrants with violent extremism.
This article is based on verified information from Pauline Hansonโs public social media posts, the Australian Department of Home Affairs, Sky News Australia, The Guardian, and Daily Telegraph.