No vacancies: Australia rolling up welcome mat (Feature)

By Sid Astbury Jul 28, 2010, 6:01 GMT

Sydney ­ There are a couple of lines in the national anthem that few Australians can sing with any real conviction.

'For those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share. With courage let us all combine, to advance Australia fair.'

Australians tell opinion pollsters that the plains are far from boundless and the population is growing far too fast.

They fret that the continent-sized country, home to 21 million people, can't handle many more new arrivals. The lifestyle their parents had, they complain, is no longer possible because of high house prices, traffic congestion and the sheer weight of numbers.

'We're pretty full as it is now,' said jobless Sydney resident Andrew Payne. 'I know it's pretty bad in their country where they are, but, you know, we've got to have a limit.'

In campaigning for next month's parliamentary election, both major parties are trying to entice voters frightened at the prospect of a country with 36 million people in 2050.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is hoping that empathizing with voters disturbed by a growth rate four times that of China's and double that in the United States will be enough to secure a second term for her Labor government.

'I don't believe we should be hurtling along without stopping, taking a breath and getting the policies right,' Gillard said.

She has not promised to cut the migrant quota, abandon a government baby-bonus scheme that awards lavish grants to women who give birth or set population targets.

Opposition Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott is not so coy. He has committed to population targets, and though he has not promised to ditch the baby bonus, lowering the immigration quota from the current level of around 30,000 a year is party policy.

'This idea that we owe it to the world to take 180,000 or 300,000 ... is just not right,' Abbott said. 'I think Australians want to feel like they are in charge of their destiny.'

In the first week of the election campaign, the 80th boatload of illegal immigrants this year came ashore. The people-smuggling boats come from Indonesia and carry mostly Afghan, Iraqi or Sri Lankan asylum-seekers.

The number arriving illegally and gaining refugee status each year is docked from the quota of refugees arriving legally, so there is no overall increase in immigration from those often accused of jumping the queue.

And, anyway, the issues of immigration intake, boat arrivals and a high birth rate are jumbled up in the minds of most voters.

Trent Bristow, who lives in an outer Sydney suburb popular with new arrivals, is disgruntled at the demographic changes around him.

'There's already so much pressure on resources out here, and letting more and more refugees in just makes it harder for us all,' he said. 'I don't want more Islamic schools popping up, either.'

Migration accounts for 60 per cent of population increase, with Britain the biggest source country, followed by New Zealand.

'I don't think the story is much about births,' said Australian National University demographer Peter McDonald. 'No, I think the number of births will remain roughly where it is. The main story really is about migration.'

Australia's population will reach 22 million this year - 40 years ahead of initial projections.

Gillard, who is favoured to win the election, describes the current population growth path as 'irresponsible' and will come under pressure as the vote nears to commit to cutting arrivals.

'It's time to reconsider whether our model of growth is right for an Australia facing fundamental constraints,' she said.

Less likely, according to political pundits, is an effort to reduce the birth rate.