Growing city needs migration of funds

Sydneysiders love to travel to the world’s great cities of New York, London, Paris and Tokyo. Yet it appears we do not want Sydney to join their ranks. Sydney’s population is still only a fraction of those cities but the latest Fairfax-Reachtel poll found many here do not want it to grow any bigger. Over 63 per cent of respondents supported restricting migration to Sydney. The city is certainly growing fast. The population of 4.7 million is 500,000 higher than six years ago, a rate usually seen in developing countries. There is no question this places strains on transport, house prices, schools and hospitals.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has suggested incentives for new migrants or students to live in the regions. That is fine. The fact is that migrants want to live in Sydney because that is where the jobs and the best universities are. The Herald is open to a debate about a gradual cut or reprofiling of the immigration programme but a dramatic shift is risky. It could damage house prices and the economy. The key to getting the best of both worlds is better planning and better transport. Rather than focusing on the divisive issue of migration, Morrison should start talking about the federal government’s role in managing urban development. It collects tax from migrants to Sydney, so it should be prepared to stump up cash for the infrastructure they will require.