Population and Migration: understanding the numbers

| February 1, 2010

The Australian  Productivity Commission invites feedback on a Research Paper that was released on 9 December 2010: Population and Migration: Understanding the Numbers.

The Commission aims to improve the information base for public discussion by describing the main demographic trends and what lies behind them.

The paper highlights that net migration to Australia has grown strongly in recent years and is now the major contributor to Australia’s population growth. The fastest growing component has been temporary migration, which has also made a material contribution to Australia’s long-term population growth.

The Commission notes that future population levels are sensitive to even minor variations in fertility, mortality and migration flow and cannot be predicted with accuracy. While demographic projections based on different scenarios are helpful for analysis, they should not be regarded as forecasts of what will eventuate.

The  report outlines some of the possible economic and social effects of immigration and population growth. These effects are diverse, depending on the source and composition of growth and the context in which it occurs.

You can download the full report here >>


 

 

 

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