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ANZ chief executive Nuno Matos waded into Australia's migration debate, comparing border policy to hiring, while more business leaders engage with One Nation.
ANZ chief executive Nuno Matos has waded into Australia's politically toxic migration debate, urging the country to handle its borders like a business. Speaking on Wednesday morning, Matos said companies choose who they hire rather than letting anyone in.
"In a company, in a business, you choose the people you hire. You don't just open the doors and say, 'Well, whoever wants to work with this company, just come in.
' That's not how it works," he told an audience. He argued that Australia should similarly choose the people it brings in based on need.
"You choose the people you hire, you choose the people you bring to your country, but you need them. You need them to grow the economy because they will bring talent," Matos said. His comments echo former prime minister John Howard's famous "we will decide" line on migration. They also reflect Australia's skilled migration program, which has existed since the 1970s and has been copied by the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada.
Matos, who is Portuguese-born, moved to Melbourne from Hong Kong last year when he took the ANZ job. He may not be fully versed in Australian political history, which is the charitable interpretation. Regardless, a Big Four bank CEO implying Australia has open-door migration is telling at this moment. Across the Western world, far-right parties including One Nation are surging with a message blaming immigrants for economic hardship and rising costs.
Matos is not Pauline Hanson-lite; he argued for a "balanced and planned" approach. But his comments show One Nation has shifted political discourse so far that even a recently arrived bank CEO feels comfortable broadcasting an immigration-sceptical vibe. He is not alone, as others in Australia's business community are becoming more One Nation-curious. On September 1, Hanson held a $2000-a-head fundraiser at Melbourne's exclusive Vue de monde.
Attendees included multimillionaire businessman Andrew Abercrombie, a long-time Liberal Party fixture. In June, at a $15,000-a-head Perth dinner hosted by Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, guests included billionaire Multiplex heir Tim Roberts and mining investor Tim Goyder.
Next month, Hanson will be guest of honour at the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce's business lunch in Melbourne. Major corporations typically employ government relations staff, often former political staffers, to help executives understand Canberra. Many of these lobbyists are now helping their bosses engage with One Nation. To smooth its relationship with corporate Australia, One Nation has recruited professional political operatives with lobbying experience, including former Liberal staffers Mark Jones and Chris Taylor.
Taylor joined the party after serving as head of policy at the Australian Banking Association. He has previously raised discredited theories about 9/11. One seasoned lobbyist said engaging with One Nation is currently a "bitter pill" for the business community. But that reluctance might fade if One Nation performs strongly in November's Victorian state election.
"If so, the rivers of gold will flow [to the party]," the lobbyist said. Most business leaders, except Rinehart, are opportunistic political weathervanes. Rinehart, a long-term patron of conservative causes, has bankrolled Hanson's political revival. Many major companies made progressive pledges in 2020 during "peak woke.
" Then many stopped discussing diversity, equity and inclusion around November 2024. Donald Trump's return to the White House has seen big tech bosses, once champions of progressive causes, switch to praising the president. What bosses say publicly reflects less their read on the country's direction and more their desire to stay close to power. On immigration, One Nation's surge and Labor's coming plan to cut immigration indicate the political winds are shifting.
On Wednesday, Matos jumped right into that debate. His intervention shows how far the conversation has moved, with corporate leaders now echoing themes once confined to the far right. As the Victorian election approaches, more businesses may follow, calculating that engagement with One Nation is better than isolation.
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theage:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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