April 4, 2010
THE federal government will consider slashing Australia's
annual migration intake to help tackle concerns about traffic
congestion, housing, hospitals, water and the
environment.
Just months after declaring himself in favour of a ''big
Australia'', Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday warned of
''legitimate concerns'' with population growth and appointed
Agriculture Minister Tony Burke as Australia's first Population
Minister.
Mr Burke has been given a year to develop the country's first
population plan, including a review of immigration levels.
The announcement came as another boatload of asylum seekers -
the 102nd to be intercepted since Mr Rudd took office - was placed
in detention at the Christmas Island facility, which has reportedly
reached capacity.
Mr Rudd denied the new strategy was a smokescreen to divert
attention from the recent boat arrivals, saying the idea for a
population plan had come after ''extensive deliberations of the
cabinet over the last month''.
He said population growth must be monitored: ''Particularly its
impact on urban congestion, its impact on the adequacy of
infrastructure, its impact on the adequacy of housing supply, its
impact on government services, its impact also on water and
agriculture and on our regions.''
Mr Rudd's change of heart followed the release last month of
Treasury's Intergenerational Report, which predicted Australia's
population would swell from about 22 million to 35.9 million in
2050, with overseas migration by far the biggest contributor.
Australia's growth rate is now twice the global average, even
outstripping that in some developing nations including the
Philippines, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Figures from the Bureau of Statistics show that last financial
year net overseas migration added a record 298,924 people, while
natural increase (births minus deaths) added 157,792.
Victoria's population, estimated at 5.44 million at June 2009,
is growing faster than the national average, with 27 per cent of
all immigrants in 2008-09 choosing to set up home here.
The majority moved to Melbourne, where population growth
outstripped all other capital cities for the eighth year in a row,
compounding pressure on the city's public transport network, roads
and housing market.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison dismissed Mr
Rudd's announcement as a diversion to cover his failure to control
boat arrivals. ''Effectively what he has announced is a plan for a
plan after the next election,'' he said.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said Australia needed a serious
debate on population.
''It's very hard to have a sustainable population strategy if
you can't control our boat arrivals. You can't have a population
policy without having a border protection policy,'' he said.
The Future Eaters author and former Australian of the
Year Tim Flannery welcomed the move, but said the Government should
create an independent board to set medium and longer-term targets
that would take into account the environment, social issues and the
economy.
Greens leader Bob Brown said the new strategy must be matched
with action. ''The major parties' population growth plan is
outstripping Australia's infrastructure, environmental capacity and
affecting quality of life.''
~ theage.com.au