By Anna Boucher
The issue of population has been a contentious one as Australians have heard one leader extol the virtues of a "big Australia" (Kevin Rudd), while his successor, Julia Gillard, shrank from the term and added sustainability to the population minister's portfolio.
Now, that minister, Tony Burke, has released a report on population that is short and contains a glaring omission — meaningful discussion of immigration's role in population growth.
Based upon the immigration intake and previous projections by Treasury, Australia's population is likely to increase to about 36 million by 2050. Yet, the report, Sustainable Australia - Sustainable Communities, makes no mention of any number.
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Dr Anna Boucher is lecturer in government and international relations, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney.
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