Dissatisfaction with immigration grows
Immigration has increased considerably since the late 1990s and between 2004 and 2007 the proportion of voters who want the intake to be reduced rose from 34 per cent to 46 per cent. While support for a reduction was highest in New South Wales, this support was already high in 2004. In relative terms support for a reduction rose most strongly in Victoria. This may be because, over the four-year period, Melbourne absorbed a greater proportion of Australia’s population growth than any other region. Despite growing electoral disquiet, the new Labor Government is increasing the immigration program to record levels.
Population Growth: What Do Australian Voters Want?
Immigration-fuelled population growth has accelerated under the Rudd Government. Recent projections suggest that Australia may grow from its current 22 million to 35.9 million by 2050. This prospect has sparked a public debate about the country's demographic future. If population growth were to become an election issue how would Australian voters respond? Relevant new data are available from the latest Australian Survey of Social Attitudes, a mailout questionnaire sent to a large random sample of voters. It was completed between December 2009 and February 2010. The results show that only 31 per cent want growth while 69 per cent want stability. This is an increase on the proportions who have been pro-stability in the past: 50 per cent in 1977 and the 65 per cent in 2001.
Migration and Population Replacement
Although the net reproduction rate for Canada has remained well below replacement level for the past several decades there is no sign of imminent population decline in population size. The rate of population growth instead exceeds 1% and has remained largely stable in the recent past. This trend in population is occurring because the prediction of population trends implied by the conventional stable population model does not correctly describe population change for the model is closed to migration and Canada is not. Three stable population models are described and exemplified with current data for Canada. The first two are closed to migration with fertility fixed at the current level and at replacement while the third model has fixed amounts of migration with fertility at the current level. Analysis focuses upon the comparative age distributions as well as the role of migrant age. Limitations are assessed with regard to the applicability of such study for policy.