Can Australia cope with 40 million people?

ABC News Daily

About 15 years ago, the then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was spruiking a ‘Big Australia’, where our population would hit 35 million by 2050.

But the idea went away, without a big plan to deal with the pressures that come with that level of growth being prepared or acted on.

Now, we’re still heading for that kind of population growth without much consideration for what it means for the environment and how we could provide the services and housing for all those people.

Today, business and economics reporter Gareth Hutchens on how big Australia can really get.

He explains that Australia’s population is now over 27 million, largely due to immigration rather than natural increase.

He highlights that the national fertility rate has fallen to a record low, making immigration crucial for economic growth and maintaining the workforce.

Gareth Hutchens also discusses the need for a comprehensive population plan that includes projections for climate change, biodiversity, and infrastructure.

He says that without such a plan, Australia risks facing multiple crises, including housing and water shortages.

Featured:

Gareth Hutchens, business and economics reporter

Key Topics:

• Big Australia
• Population growth
• Immigration in Australia
• National fertility rate
• Economic impact of population growth
• Climate change and population
• Housing crisis
• Water shortages