Tudge says spread out

CITIZENSHIP Minister Alan Tudge has stressed the need to spread new migrants across the country and improve social cohesion as Australia’s population nears 25 million.

Statisticians predicted the population would reach the mark last night, decades ahead of schedule.

Mr Tudge is urging new arrivals to make a bee-line for country towns rather than major cities.

“There are some areas feeling the population pressures … while there are other regions in Australia which are crying out for more people,” he said.