Editorial: After decades worrying that Australia’s rapid population growth was putting too much pressure on our already crowded cities, the pandemic has raised the prospect that the population will grow too slowly
about 56,000 fewer babies will be born in each of the next five years than was predicted in last year’s federal budget.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg touched on the issue in a speech in July but did not go as far as Peter Costello in 2002, who told women to have “one for mum, one for dad and one for the country” as he announced a generous baby bonus scheme. It should be possible to safely restart immigration next year and Australia’s success in controlling COVID-19 should only make us a more attractive destination.
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