Migrant intake a strain on cities
Ben Packham
May 24, 2008 12:00am
MOVES to allow an extra 31,000 migrants into Australia each year will place huge pressure on already over-crowded cities, according to one of the nation's top population experts.
Monash University's Dr Bob Birrell said the jump in the migrant quota would worsen the housing crisis and environmental problems.
"They'll be adding additional demand to a market that is already in crisis," he said.
The Government lifted the skilled migrant intake in the Budget to 190,300 to try to cope with growing labour shortages.
It is also considering accepting unskilled guest workers in a radical policy shift.
Dr Birrell said the migration increase amounted to a new population policy for Australia.
Under the new quota, Australia's population would hit 32 million by 2050 -- five million more than previously estimated, Dr Birrell said.
Migration will account for 80 per cent of population growth in that period.
"The Government's No. 1 priority is to get extra labour here," Dr Birrell said.
"It will exacerbate housing affordability issues, it will exacerbate congestion and liveability issues in the major cities, (and) population growth is a major component of greenhouse emissions."
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