The stage is once again set for the ‘Big Australia’ debate with the latest population projections figures for Australia revealing that Australia needs a net migration intake of 240,000 people per year to maintain its economy and living standards.

The projections are released once in five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It last suggested in 2008, a net migration intake of 180,000 per year. That figure sparked the ‘Big Australia’ debate.

The ABS latest projections which are based on the 2011 population census now project a net migration intake of 240,000 indicating that big Australia needs to get bigger to survive.

Richard Marles, the opposition immigration spokesman in an interview with The Australian noted, “The ageing population is going to see the size of the labour force plateau and within decades that will start to shrink.” 

The ABS projections show Western Australia will more than double its population - most of that in Perth. Queensland will also double. In the two upper range projections, Melbourne is tipped to out-rank Sydney by population in either 2030 or 2053.

Bernard Salt, Demographer and Social Editor at The Australian says, “If the will of the Australian people is that we should reduce the rate of growth, [and] reduce the level of overseas migration then that’s fine. But then we will have to have a very frank conversation about how we’re going to fund the retirement of and the lifestyles of baby-boomers into the future.” 

PS: The image above is of an Australian Stamp showing the 3 great waves of Australian migration.