Immigration soars in Australia: Leith Van Onselen warns of dire consequences
Australia will face a perpetual infrastructure issues and lower living standards if high immigration numbers arent brought down, an economist has warned.
Australia will face a perpetual infrastructure issues and lower living standards if high immigration numbers arent brought down, an economist has warned.
Leith Van Onselen, Chief Economist and co-founder of MacroBusiness, gave the grim outlook for the future following record numbers of immigrants moving Down Under.
In the year to March, net overseas migration was recorded at 510,000, with the total Australian population now sitting at 27.1 million.
Mr Van Onselen warned that it was crucial the Australian government took the right measures to cut immigration right back immediately.
All those people need somewhere to live and we havent been able to build enough housing for them, he told ABC Radio Brisbane on Sunday.
We havent been able to build enough infrastructure and as a result we have a housing crisis and congestion everywhere.
With many Aussies struggling to keep a roof over their heads amid the cost of living crisis and a crippling rental market, Mr Van Onselen said the population was growing too fast to keep up with demand.
When you import renters, you need rental accommodation and we dont have enough, he said.
Economist, Leith Van Onselen, warned that it was crucial the Australian government took the right measures to cut immigration right back immediately (pictured is Anthony Albanese)
Australia will face a perpetual housing crisis if high immigration numbers arent brought down, an economist has warned
The whole notion that theyre (the government) bringing down migration is ridiculous.
Unfortunately, we go for high volume and a lower quality of mostly unskilled workers, he said.
Labor has already exceeded its migration target for the last financial year, according to an analysis of migration patterns by parliamentary term.
The net migration intake from July 2023 to May 2024 was 445,510 - a figure that is well ahead of the 395,000 Labor committed to in the Budget.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this year promised Australias net overseas intake would be slashed to just 250,000 in 2024-25.
The influx of international students in particular has created a rental crisis in cities, with tenants braving long queues and suffering from housing stress.
International students make up a big share of Australias permanent and long-term intake. Education Minister Jason Clare last month announced a 270,000 cap on foreigners coming here to study in 2025.
Its (migration) running so much hotter than the federal government ever projected and it has ever since the Albanese government came to office, Mr Van Onselen said.
It needs to be cut right back. Its at levels that are just completely obscene and unsustainable.
We need to run immigration at a level below the nations capacity to build housing and infrastructure because if we dont do that, were going to have lower living standards, a perpetual housing crisis and perpetual infrastructure shortages.
The economist said the government should be looking to cut immigration back to below 120,000 a year.
Unfortunately, we go for high volume and a lower quality of mostly unskilled workers, he said.
