The ultimate result was a significant increase in Australia’s net overseas migration (NOM), which surged from the mid-2000s and propelled population growth to nearly double long-run averages. During Howard’s first three years in government, Australia’s net overseas migration (NOM) averaged 86,000 per year. AdvertisementJohn Howard never notified Australians that the government intended to increase the country’s immigration intake dramatically. The Albanese Labor government has overseen the largest migration boom in the nation’s history, with an extraordinary 1,227,800 net migrants arriving in just 33 months. This isn’t the first immigration ‘bait and switch’ pulled on the Australian people by Anthony Albanese.