It’s about quality, not quantity

This could be partially offset by reducing the size of the bureaucracies that oversee the provision of government services from the centre of our busiest cities, and by relocating to regional areas as many as possible.

There is also nothing wrong with placing conditions on permanent residency visas that require the holder to live in a regional area, at risk of losing the visa. While it’s true that enforcement may be difficult, it’s not insurmountable.

We should also recognise that, if there is a genuine problem with population growth itself, then there’s a case for paring back the welfare payments that encourage Australians to have children.

The Parenting Payment, for example, provides thousands of dollars more than the dole each year with no requirement to look for paid work provided you have a child under six.  There’s also Family Tax Benefit, which can be $10,000 per child each year, with higher amounts once a child turns thirteen.

Our living standards depend on more than just the population; the population is about more than just immigration; and immigration is more than just a number.  Policies based on raising the quality of our mix of migrants would have direct benefits for us all.