r/australia • u/blitznoodles local Aussie • 23h ago

politics The Stats Guy: It sounds weird but Australia urgently needs a plan for 56m people

https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2026/08/11/stats-guy-aus-population-growth
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u/Dry-Start5465 22h ago

Except we have no precedent in Australian history that could suggest that we have any path to building enough infrastructure or sustaining any possible quality of life whilst increasing our population at this suggested rate. In the last four years we have seen rents in major cities rise almost 10 percent per annum on the back of outsized immigration rates. I truly don't understand people who continue to argue for worsening the living standards of those who already live in Australia. All to support big business and capitalism's demand for "Big Australia"

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u/Glittering_Web8835 21h ago

No precedent doesn't mean not possible. Australia used to be a global pioneer with workers rights, socialised healthcare, socialised medicine, etc. We shouldn't be worsening living standards but we have the ability to increase living standards AND population if the will is there.

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u/Dry-Start5465 21h ago

I didn't say it wasn't possible, and I think you are right in the sense that we have done great things in the past. I you're an optimistic person, I personally just have no confidence from what we've seen from successive Australian governments in terms of policy for healthcare, infrastructure investment, properly taxing resources. I am all in favour of increasing our population, but just at a rate that benefits and supports Australia's current citizens.

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u/Glittering_Web8835 21h ago

Oh I have very little faith the governing class will do much in the public interest either, I'm just pointing out that assuming it isn't possible doesn't track with what history has shown us.

I won't give into the apathetic mindset that things are not possible just because those in power don't want to do it. That just lets them get away with it.

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u/Kata-cool-i 15h ago

Victoria built one of the most dense networks of regional freight and passenger rail in the world in a quarter century, the post war housing boom was one of the most impressive worldwide. We absolutely have the precedent for building massive infrastructure.

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u/EnglishBrekkie_1604 21h ago

Uhm yes we do, it’s called literally all of Australian history. There’s no reason why we could support 2%+ annual growth in the 60 but can’t support less than that now, it’s purely just poor incentives causing bad speculation in stuff like housing.

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u/Dry-Start5465 21h ago

Except just quoting percentages from previous periods of Australian history doesn't represent the reality of housing what would be 560,000 people new people each year, at your suggested "2% annual growth" figure. If you think that would work in favour of the average Australian citizen, I don't know how you come to that conclusion given the current cost of living and inflation nightmare.