A large majority of people living in Sydney believe that immigration should be limited in the city, a new survey reveals.
According to ReachTel poll conducted to behalf of The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, almost two-thirds of respondents believe migration to Australia’s largest city should be restricted and new arrivals sent to the regions.
More than 63 per cent of those polled voted for restricting migrant numbers, while 50 per cent opposed more development in Sydney to accommodate population growth.
The poll results come in the wake of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s comments that he wants to slow the intake of some migrants and encourage more new arrivals to settle regionally.
The poll of 1,627 Sydney residents found that more than one-quarter of people identified the rising cost of living sparked by high immigration as their main concern, followed by increasing energy prices and housing unaffordability.
Sydney’s Premier, Gladys Berejiklia, has recently stated that she wants to build a better not bigger New South Wales.
“I want NSW to continue to be seen as the magnet for human talent,” Ms Berejikian said. “But I am also fiercely committed to protecting and improving our way of life, and all that we love about our local communities – our parks, our open spaces, our beautiful beaches, waterways and bushland.”
However, The Migration Council of Australia chief executive Carla Wilshire said redirecting migration to the regions was not going to fix the congestion problems plaguing Sydney and Melbourne.
“I can understand why people in Sydney feel like this but by restricting migration, it doesn’t solve an underlying under-investment in infrastructure and urban transport,” Ms Wilshire said.
Article published 24th September 2018