Australia still at ‘third world’ rates of population growthMike talks to Peter Strachan, National President of Sustainable Population Australia (SPA), about the impact of Australia’s rapid population growth.
Australia’s population grew by 552,000 in the year to June 2024, driven mostly by net overseas migration (445,600), according to new ABS figures. At an annual growth rate of 2.1%, Mr. Strachan warns this is putting immense pressure on housing, infrastructure, and the environment.
“Australia cannot sustain annual growth of over half a million people—nearly the size of Tasmania’s population,” says Mr. Strachan. “It drives up infrastructure costs, worsens housing availability, and puts power supplies under stress. In Sydney, adding 100,000 more people during a heatwave would likely cause power outages.”
The environmental impact is also significant. Reports link population growth to biodiversity loss, and Australia’s emissions reduction targets—43% by 2030 and net zero by 2050—become harder to meet. “At this rate, Australia’s population could double in just 33 years,” he adds.
While growth has slowed slightly from 2.5% to 2.1%, it remains comparable to nations like Madagascar and Ghana, which are struggling economically and environmentally.
Mr. Strachan also points to a rise in natural increase (106,400 births, up 3.4%), despite a record-low fertility rate of 1.5 children per woman. “To slow population growth, immigration must be the focus, as natural increases remain significant and are not declining as expected,” he concludes.
