Newspoll: voters happy to keep population at current level

More than one in two NSW voters want the state’s population to stay at current ­levels, according to an exclusive Newspoll.

Traffic congestion on the Spit Bridge during the morning peak. Picture: Braden Fastier

More than one in two NSW ­voters have backed population in the state to remain at current ­levels, according to an exclusive Newspoll.

The survey found 25 per cent of voters support slashing population rates, 16 per cent are in favour of increasing them and 55 per cent want them to remain as they are.

Ahead of the NSW election, which has been fought over population pressures and the divide between city and country infrastructure, The Australian can ­reveal a majority of Coalition, Labor and Greens supporters back maintaining population at its current rate.

Population growth and congestion have emerged as key ­issues in several battleground NSW seats, with Premier Gladys Berejik­lian last year calling for the ­migrant intake to be halved and returned to “Howard era” levels.

In November, she appointed an expert panel to develop a population policy for the state.

The Morrison government is still considering a broader population policy.

Scott Morrison last year ­consulted the state and territory governments on a new approach to migrant settlement, which would take into account the needs of different regions across the country.

 

The Australian revealed last year that the government was considering a regional migration scheme involving new visa requirements on a specified ­number of permanent skilled migrant entrants to reside in capital cities other than Sydney and Melbourne or regional centres for five years.

A report by the Department of Home Affairs last year revealed the total number of people granted visas under the permanent migration program fell from 183,608 in 2016-2017 to 162,417 last financial year, having hit a peak of 190,000 under the Rudd and Gillard governments.

NSW Premeir Gladys Berejiklian has previously called the migrant intake to be halved. Picture: AAP

Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge in a speech last year said there had to be a new approach to population growth pressure on the major capital cities.

“While the overall population of Australia has been growing at the rapid rate of 1.6 per cent per annum, our three large population centres have been some of the fastest growing cities in the world,” Mr Tudge said at the time.

“Melbourne last year grew by 2.7 per cent, Sydney by 2.1 per cent and southeast Queensland by 2.3 per cent.

“We are working on measures to have more arrivals go to smaller states and regions and require them to be there for a few years. In that time, the evidence suggests, many will make it their home for the long term.”

The Newspoll was conducted throughout NSW between March 8 and 11.