The Australian’s Judith Sloan says there is an irony to Australia’s sudden drop in population growth as migrant rates decrease significantly as a result of COVID-19. The closure of international borders will mean Australia’s population growth will reach its lowest level in 100 years.
“What was happening with the migration intake was that the Commonwealth kind of liked it because they pick up the tax revenue,” Ms Sloan told Sky News host Chris Smith.
“But many of the costs are actually borne by the states, so (are) the infrastructure costs, the hospital beds, the school places and the like.
“Fast forward to today, we have a sort of dissimilar disjunction in that the states are imposing restrictions for COVID-19 reasons which have economic costs and feds are having to pick it up.
“The feds don’t like it and there may be a message there when they’re reconsidering population policy.
“I feel they haven’t learnt anything.”
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