Perspectives on population policy in Australia

Abstract

Population is a key policy issue for rural and regional Australia. Since the time of European settlement, where and how people should live has been a frequent and often controversial topic. And yet, even as a nation of immigrants, Australians are considered to be ill-informed about many aspects of population - such as immigration and its impact on the nation - and have been described as '... confused, bemused, or misled on what is a key public policy issue' (Productivity Commission 2010, p.iii).