A report by the Scanlon Foundation found more than four in five Australians see benefits to immigration, but concerns remain around overcrowding and house prices.
An annual national survey tracking public opinion on immigration and population issues has found a strong majority of Australians still see benefits in immigration despite heightening concern over population growth.
The 2018 Mapping Social Cohesion survey, conducted by the philanthropic Scanlon Foundation, found more than four in five Australians see benefits to immigration.
The survey, which canvassed the views of 1,500 randomly chosen Australians, also found 52 per cent of Australians consider the current intake of migrants either ‘about right’ or ‘too low’, challenging some recent media and political narratives about rising concern over immigration and its impact on Australian society.
But 43 per cent took the view that the migrant intake was ‘too high’, up from 37 per cent last year. The finding is the highest since 2010 when it peaked at 47 per cent following the Coalition’s vow to cut migration after Kevin Rudd’s speech supporting a “Big Australia”.
Researcher Andrew Markus, from Melbourne’s Monash University, said despite concerns about population management, 82 per cent of those surveyed believed immigrants improve Australian society ‘by bringing new ideas and cultures’. Eighty per cent also agreed ‘immigrants are generally good for Australia’s economy’.
“There are relatively low levels of concern about immigration from many different countries, about whether immigration is good for this country, creates jobs, gives us fresh ideas. All of those indicators remain, by large percentages, very positive,” he said.
Over the course of the surveys, Australia’s population has increased by an estimated five million, from 19.9 million in 2006 to 25 million in August 2018. It is projected to reach 30 million between 2029 and 2033, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Overcrowding and house prices
Despite Professor Markus said the survey found notable community concern around “perceived lack of government planning, about perceived overcrowding and house prices”.
Fifty-four per cent of respondents indicated concern at the ‘impact of immigration on overcrowding of Australian cities’, 49 per cent at the ‘impact of immigration on house prices’ and 48 per cent at inadequate ‘government management of population growth’.
