Industry brands Australia's 10% migration intake drop 'disappointing'

Peter Dutton says reduction by more than 20,000 migrants caused by weeding out of 'fraudulent claims'

Australia accepted just 162,417 permanent migrants in the past year, a decrease of more than 10% on the previous year and the lowest level in a decade.

The reduction, confirmed by the home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, on Friday, was the result of a departmental crackdown after Dutton and former prime minister Tony Abbott unsuccessfully advocated for a lower migration cap, prompting accusations the government has cut migration by "backdoor means".