The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that Australia's Population growth in the year to June 2025 quarter was 420,000, up from 418,705 in the 12 months to March 2025.
From September 2021 to June 2025 Australia's estimated resident population has expanded by 1.91 million, of which 78.2 per cent or 1.49 million resulted from Net Overseas Migration. Meanwhile, temporary visa holders continue to account for most migrant arrivals.
Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) argues that this rapid pace of population growth is environmentally and economically unsustainable. Addition of a million people holding temporary visas compared to ten years ago demonstrates that the Federal Government is running an 'ad-hoc' immigration system without a coherent plan.
Comments from Peter Strachan, National President of Sustainable Population Australia:
"In the year to June 2025, net overseas immigration remained unsustainably high at 305,600, well above pre-COVID levels and more than 3 times its long-term average of around 80,000 per annum."
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/jun-2025#key-statistics
"The federal government does not appear to be running a coherent immigration policy, which appears 'hit-and-miss' and 'ad-hoc' at best. How can Australian states budget for adequate housing and infrastructure around an immigration policy that has spiralled out of control?"
"SPA calls on the federal government to develop a long-term plan for a stable population so that planners in state and local governments, which pick up the infrastructure tab as population rises, can have some funding certainty.
Currently, the Feds say 'jump!' and the States ask, 'how high?"
"Sustainable Population Australia has published comprehensive policy solutions titled Six Great Immigration Solutions. If the Federal Government were to roll out these policy recommendations, Australia's population would be back under control."
Comments from Michael Bayliss, Communications Manager, Sustainable Population Australia
"Around 2.9 million temporary residents are included in Australia's official population figures."
"The prevailing wisdom holds that temporary visa holders don't contribute to the impact of population growth on environmental degradation or economic stress because they are not permanent residents. However, every person residing in Australia at any time needs food, water, housing and access to infrastructure, and will thus have an impact."
"Alan Kohler was correct to say that Australia's construction industry cannot supply houses and apartments fast enough to meet demand arising from an official population growth rate of 1.5 per cent per annum. No wonder Australia is enduring a protracted housing crisis as demand overwhelms the economy's ability to supply."
"Australia must stabilise its population so that it can protect a fragile ecosystem from the impacts of further overdevelopment while reducing costs of living, including an overinflated housing market. A stabilised population will ensure a future economy built around genuine productivity and innovation rather than lazy property speculation."
Video responses from Peter and Michael may be seen below courtesy of SPA YouTube Channel:
