The Planning Institute of Australia released a 2018 report that endorsed a national settlement strategy, one that would address the manner in which Australia would facilitate population growth in future years. With Australia’s populace expected to go up by 50 percent during the next 30 years, with much of this growth taking place in major cities, the potential effect of population growth on infrastructure, community and environment propels the debate.
Due to previous errors in the projection of population growth in communities like Sydney and Melbourne, infrastructure development has not been able to keep up with growing population rates, resulting in more congestion and lengthier commuting trips for those who live in these cities.
As the federal government regulates immigration, state governments aren’t sure how to plan the level of infrastructure required for their population. The levels of net overseas migration coming into Australia has escalated throughout the past decade, with those incoming preferring to make their homes in major cities.
The ‘national settlement strategy,’ says Stokes, is aimed toward improved planning and the development of more extensively connected and more liveable cities. He asserts that the disconnect between urban planning development and immigration rates have posed major economic, social and environmental effects that must be addressed.
Migration is a major cause of population growth in Australia; a fact that benefits the host nation, as many migrants are skilled tradespeople. Net overseas migration rates for the year concluding March 2019 increased 4.9 percent above the previous year, as opposed to the 1.6 percent growth taking place in Australia’s population. Overall, adjustments and accommodations must be made on a national level to meet the needs of a growing nation.