Coalition split on Andrew Bragg speech as South Australian senator Andrew McLachlan urges colleagues to ‘follow his lead’

<p>Senior colleagues dismiss Bragg’s migration figures as ‘personal views’ while others say critical response is an ‘overreaction’</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan has publicly backed Andrew Bragg and urged colleagues to “follow his lead” after a public speech that has split colleagues and triggered a rebuke from opposition leader, Angus Taylor.</p><p>At the National Press Club on Wednesday, Bragg announced a policy to slash the national construction code and suggested net overseas migration should be dropped from the current level of about 300,000 to below 180,000 a year to keep pace with new housing builds.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/15/coalition-split-on-andrew-bragg-speech-as-south-australian-senator-andrew-mclachlan-urges-colleagues-to-follow-his-lead">Continue reading...</a>