Call for immigration intake to be slashed as Melbourne adds 130,000 people a year

RAPID population growth is fuelling congestion and stretching services in Melbourne. But will the federal government’s plan to force new migrants to live in the regions actually work?

A COALITION of community groups and academics has called for immigration to be slashed to deal with congestion and overdevelopment in the suburbs.

Melbourne grew by almost 130,000 people last year — 24,000 more than just three years ago, according to the latest ABS data.

Net overseas migration accounted for 83,000 of the city’s extra people last year, while the figure in 2013-14 was only about 50,000.

IMMIGRATION TO MELBOURNE AT RECORD LEVELS

VOTERS SAY COUNTRY FULL, SUPPORT PARTIAL BAN ON MUSLIM MIGRATION

CALL FOR ACTION ON MELBOURNE’S TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Dr Bob Birrell from the Australian Population Research Institute.

Australian Population Research Institute director Dr Bob Birrell said that mass migration and the trend for migrants to settle mainly in Melbourne and Sydney was creating major housing problems.

“It means throwing even more billions of dollars into infrastructure and implementing even fiercer residential consolidation policies,” he said.

“These federal government immigration policies should not be passively accepted, they should by challenged by the state government.”

Melbourne is one of the fastest growing cities in the developed world.

Dr Birrell was among several speakers to address a public meeting on the weekend, convened by Sustainable Australia Party.

Former Bayside Council mayor turned Sustainable Australia Party state election candidate Clifford Hayes said rapid population growth was worsening congestion and overdevelopment.

“The middle-ring suburbs would all have to go from single houses to multiple and even high density apartment style living to accommodate Melbourne being at least eight million by 2050,” he said.

Sustainable Australia Party candidate Clifford Hayes.

Mr Hayes said the nation’s net overseas migrant intake should be cut from over 200,000 now to the long-term average of 70,000.

Dr Birrell said the Morrison Government’s plan for thousands of new migrants to be forced to settle outside Melbourne and Sydney for up to five years had merit, as a similar policy already existed for an overseas doctor visa.

“It can be done, but the problem is that after five years has elapsed most of them would probably leave the regions, which is what happens with other visas where there is a locational requirement,” he said.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp recently said that cities shouldn’t fear booming growth.

“The cities we revere around the world … recognise that people mean talent, people mean diversity of ideas,” she said.

Melbourne recently surpassed the five million mark.

[e-mail]

@JMasanauskas