Gladys Berejiklian: Why I want to reduce our migrant numbers

As a daughter of proud immigrants, I will always welcome new migrants. But we need to do something because the rate of migration in our state has ballooned out of control, writes Premier Gladys Berejiklian

• Premier’s plan to reduce migration
• Sydney’s population has hit 8 million

NSW has and always will be open to new immigrants. I am a daughter of proud immigrants myself, but it’s clear that successive Federal Governments have allowed the rate of immigration to NSW to balloon out of control.

It’s time to tap the brakes and take a breather on immigration levels to this State. We should return to Howard-era immigration levels in NSW.

Gladys Berejiklian as a child on the left, pictured with her sister Rita and her aunt.

Gladys Berejiklian and her father Krikor when she was a flower girl in Manly in 1972.

For far too long, Federal Governments have been all care and no responsibility, leaving cities like Sydney to wear the pain. I want NSW to have much more control over the number of new arrivals to our state.

For far too long, the States have been burdened with coping with ballooning populations as a result of unilateral decisions by Federal Governments.

Ms Berejiklian is a daughter of a proud migrant family.

Since Federation, the States haven’t been given a voice and it’s high time we were given a seat at the table.

It’s time to end the snub and I’m delighted to see the Prime Minister is moving down this path.

I thank the new Prime Minister for agreeing to my call earlier this year to involve the States on the important issue of population growth.

My Government has been playing catch up building the schools, hospitals, roads and transport links our State needs to deal with our growing population after years of do-nothing Labor Governments.

Premier Berejiklian has announced a plan to reduce NSW migration. Picture: Tim Hunter.

But it’s becoming increasingly clear that the current growing rates of immigration to our State needs to be addressed.

This is an opportunity for a new dawn on this important issue.