The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that Australia’s population expanded by 423,595 in the 12 months to September 2025, an increase from 419,368 in the year to June ‘24. While natural increase has fallen, immigration numbers are on the rise.
Over the 4 years to September 2025 Australia’s estimated resident population expanded by 2.02 million, of which 78.2 per cent or 1.58 million resulted from Net Overseas Migration. Temporary visa holders continue to account for most arrivals, overwhelming those holding permanent visa category.
Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) argues that:
- The government is running an ‘ad-hoc’ immigration system without a coherent plan at a time of extreme housing stress.
- Within a total cohort of 3 million people holding temporary visas, Australia hosts over 1 million people holding Student Visas, all of whom place unnecessary pressure on basic infrastructure and services.
- Expanding population is the antithesis of environmental stewardship and is economically misguided.
- This is especially true at present time, with increasing economic uncertainty surrounding global conflicts and associated logistical challenges to trade.
- Australia faces a future of water, food and fuel insecurity, all exacerbated by frequent climate extremes and the pressures of high population growth.
- By ignoring concerns from the Australian public on high immigration, the government is losing voter sentiment toward parties such as One Nation.
SPA experts are available for further comment
Available to comment:
Mr Peter Strachan, National President, Sustainable Population Australia
Contact: 0412 400 952 (from 06:30am AWST); [email protected]
Quotes attributable to Mr Strachan:
“In the year to September 2025, net overseas immigration remained unsustainably high at 310,991, well above pre-COVID levels and more than 3 times its long-term average of around 80,000 per annum.”
“The federal government does not appear to be running a coherent immigration policy, which appears ‘hit-and-miss’ and ‘ad-hoc’ at best. How can Australian states budget for adequate housing and infrastructure around an immigration policy that has spiralled out of control?”
“SPA calls on the federal government to develop a long-term plan for a stable population so that planners in state and local governments, which pick up the tab for infrastructure as population rises, can have some funding certainty.
Currently, the Feds say 'jump!' and the States ask, 'how high?”
“Sustainable Population Australia has published comprehensive policy solutions titled Six Great Immigration Solutions. If the Federal Government were to roll out these policy recommendations, Australia’s population would be back under control.”
Mr Michael Bayliss, Spokesperson and Communications Manager, Sustainable Population Australia
Contact: 0423 701 611 (from 7:00am AWST); [email protected]
Quotes attributable to Michael Bayliss:
“Around 3 million temporary residents are included in Australia’s official population figures.”
“The prevailing wisdom holds that temporary visa holders don’t contribute to the impact of population growth on environmental degradation or economic stress because they are not permanent residents. However, every person residing in Australia at any time needs food, water, housing and access to infrastructure, and will thus have an impact.”
“Alan Kohler was correct to say that Australia’s construction industry cannot supply houses and apartments fast enough to meet demand arising from an official population growth rate of 1.5 per cent per annum. No wonder Australia is enduring a protracted housing crisis as demand overwhelms the economy’s ability to supply.”
“Australia must stabilise its population so that it can protect a fragile ecosystem from the impacts of further overdevelopment while reducing costs of living, including an overinflated housing market. A stabilised population will ensure a future economy built around genuine productivity and innovation rather than lazy property speculation.”
About us:
SPA is an independent not-for-profit organisation seeking to protect the environment and our quality of life by ending population growth in Australia and globally, while rejecting racism and involuntary population control. SPA is an environmental advocacy organisation, not a political party.