Victoria’s population exploding

Tim Smith

Shadow Parliamentary secretary for Population Policy and Housing Affordability

ABS population statistics confirm that without a comprehensive plan to manage Victoria’s population, we are at risk of becoming Australia’s most unliveable city within a decade.

The ABS population statistics show that in 2016 Victoria grew by 2.1% or 123,131 and Melbourne by 2.4% or 107,770 people. Melbourne’s population growth is the fastest in the nation.

This tsunami of people impacts every service the state government provides and the Andrews government has no population plan for our high growth future.

Under Andrews Labor Victoria’s population is becoming even more centralised, damaging regional growth and liveability in Greater Melbourne.

The ABS’ latest statistics highlight the continuing problems of the over centralising of Victoria’s population:

–              77% of Victoria’s population live in Greater Melbourne

–              88% of Victoria’s population growth from 2015-16 has gone to Greater Melbourne

–              The percentage of Victorians living in the regions has gone down from 23.8% in 2015 to 23.5% in 2016

It is vital that Victoria decentralises its population to ensure that we become a state of cities, not a city-state, to take the pressure off Melbourne and grow regional Victoria. Only a Matthew Guy led government will have the vision and a population plan to grow the whole state, not just Melbourne.

Through the Liberal Nationals Population Policy Taskforce we have been speaking to Victorians right across our state to develop a thorough and considered response to one of the greatest challenges facing Victorians. The Population Policy Taskforce interim findings will be released in coming months.

Meanwhile, the Andrews’ government continues to stand idly by as Melbourne’s much vaunted liveability continues to be ruined.

Media contact: James Duncan 0457 758 018 james.duncan@opposition.vic.gov.au

Please download this press release as a PDF