Immigration boom as 19,000 Indians arrive in year to August IMMIGRATION from India is continuing to surge as 360 permanent settlers from the country arrive in Australia each week. Almost 19,000 Indian-born people arrived in the year to August, up a third compared with the same period last year, according to new ABS data. Only New Zealanders, who have unlimited access, arrived in greater numbers over the 12-month period. While Australia has a record high migrant intake, the number of UK-born settlers fell from 15,790 in 2011-12 to 11,450 over the past year. The number of China-born migrants increased slightly to 18,240, an analysis of the Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia report reveals. There were 26,170 NZ-born settlers, down 4000 on the previous year. Other significant settler groups included Filipinos (7270), Malaysians (3810), Vietnamese (3630) and Sri Lankans (3580). The figures do not include people on temporary visas, such as students and skilled workers on the 457 program. A separate Immigration Department report said net overseas migration for Australia for 2012-13 was 237,000 up from 208,000 last year. Meanwhile, a new environmental party has apologised after its lead Victorian Senate candidate sent out an unauthorised email attacking high immigration. Stable Population Party candidate Clifford Hayes said in the mass mail-out that record high migration was helping destroy the habitat and threatening koalas along the eastern coastline. "Australia is the oldest, most ecologically fragile continent in the world, yet we are purposely growing our population at an unprecedented rate," he said. But the party's national headquarters chided Mr Hayes after some recipients of the email complained that their names were on the mailing list. One person replied saying: "Cliff this is an irrelevant one policy party! Please have the courtesy to delete me from your email list. Stable Population Party national president William Bourke apologised for the "unauthorised open email sent out this morning." "We understand Clifford's intentions but this style of promotion is not approved by the party," he said. HQ was not aware of this email and, again, I apologise for the inconvenience. The party's central policy is to slash total net immigration from the current 230,000 to 80,000 a year. Mr Hayes, a former Bayside Council deputy mayor, has been campaigning by linking the high intake to urban congestion, high house prices, pressure on education and health services and environmental damage.