Armchair Critic,
It'd be pretty hard to disagree with that going by the evidence !

A Parliament of Landlords Will Not Solve Australia’s Housing Crisis
http://jacobin.com/2023/02/australia-parliament-landlords-housing-albanese

They talk about their committment to the housing crisis but it's hard to take seriously when the politicians are becoming wealthier because of immigration and an artificially created housing shortage.

Some data might help the situation:

In 2023 the population increased by 624,000.

This was made up of (approx):

290,000 births
184000 deaths
518,000 nett arrivals (747000 arrivals, 219,000 departures)

So clearly most of the increase was immigration and therefore the whole thing is in the hands of the government to resolve.

That is, they could resolve it if they thought it was a problem. Since they don't stop it they clearly don't see it as a problem.

Now of course, they will say that the things like housing affordability is an issue they want to solve. And they will say that congestion in the cities is a problem they want to solve. And they will say lack of necessary infrastructure is a problem they want to solve. But clearly this is just talk. Stopping immigration or vastly reducing it would solve all these problems.

But, it would create other problems the government doesn't want to face. For a start, increasing numbers increases the national GDP. Australia would have gone into recession last year were it not for immigration. Of course, per capita GDP fell in 2023, but clearly the government isn't concerned about that. Individual Australians were worse off but the government could crow about rising GDP.

If immigration stopped, it would take the heat out of the housing market. Governments say that would be a good thing, but it would be a disaster for those governments. Falling or even stagnant housing prices would be an economic mess the governments want to avoid. They need prices to continue to rise or else a 2008-style (US) crash would be the result. So they need to keep the immigration tap wide open to keep the housing market buoyant.

But primarily both sides favour immigration. The Libs see new workers and customers for business. And the ALP see new left wing voters. So there is a conspiracy among the majors to keep it going, irrespective of what the population wants.

In 2002, it was forecast by Treasury that the population would reach 25 million by 2042. They forecast we'd get to 27 million by 2055. We got there 30 years earlier than forecast.

The forecast wasn't wrong, it just didn't take into account that governments would permit massive immigration.

Those forecasts were partially made so that governments could plan infrastructure to match. But, as Graham Richardson pointed out, we got 2055's population in 2025 but we still only got 2025's infrastructure. Roads, rail, hospitals, schools, etc didn't keep up with immigration and its unlikely to in the future.

There is a massive opportunity for a Trump style character to ride a popular wave of anger at the way the big parties are ignoring the popular opinion against unrestrained immigration. Hanson tried to be that person but isn't up to it. Palmer likewise.

Let's hope that person comes before its too late.

"In 2002, it was forecast by Treasury that the population would reach 25 million by 2042. They forecast we'd get to 27 million by 2055. We got there 30 years earlier than forecast."

What should I make of this...

Successive goverments have effectively stuffed the country, privatised everything, blown out our national debt, spent wastefully on all this woke crap and now have nothing left except immigration to keep the country afloat.

Still don't know what to think.

If its not nefarious, then it's gross negligence and complete incompetence.
I always say we should never underestimate incompetence.

Is it democracy that doesn't work, our just our leadership is crap?
Why do we vote for these idiots?

Is it democracy that doesn't work, our just our leadership is crap?
Armchair Critic,
That and, a demographic in parallel !