There is no meaningful difference between Labor and the Coalition on overall immigration. They both support a big Australia and they both need migrants to make that happen. Also as you say governments don't like being in power during a recession. I don't think there is any evidence that either of them would bring in any more or less than the other. Notwithstanding that though, right now we have overall immigration running at a record high rate and a government that has been telling us they have reduced it, which of course can not be true.
