A leading immigration expert has warned that Australia's housing crisis is being driven by record migration levels, claiming young Australians can no longer expect to own a home. Dr Bob Birrell, a founding director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research, stated that the Albanese government's refusal to slow down a 'tsunami' of migration has created more negatives than positives.
Impact on Housing Affordability
The former adviser emphasised that the housing crisis is directly linked to high migration, which he believes has spiralled out of control under the current government. 'We're seeing the very serious impact of housing affordability due to overseas migration,' he told the Daily Mail. 'It's a major change in our set-up where young people can no longer assume their parents' experience of owning a home.' He also noted an 'Asianisation' of the migration program, describing it as a fact.
Demographic Shifts
His comments follow new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealing that, for the first time, people from England are no longer Australia's top source of migrants. Nearly a third of the population is now born overseas. The ABS data shows that people born in India (971,020) constitute Australia's largest overseas-born population group. Chinese-born residents are the third largest group, with 732,000 people, a peak. Overall, 8.83 million people out of Australia's population of 27.6 million were born overseas, equating to 32 per cent. Australia is now ranked eighth in the world for the number of migrants in its population.
Migration and Economic Pressures
Australia's net overseas migration peaked in 2023 at 556,000, with a projected net gain of 306,000 in the 2024-25 financial year. Meanwhile, house prices continue to rise, with a 1.4 per cent national increase in March 2026, marking 13 consecutive months of growth, driven by demand outpacing new home construction. According to Redbridge pollster Kos Samaras, up to 85 per cent of Australia's Indian community in certain regions voted Labor at the last federal election. Citing this, MacroBusiness chief economist Leith van Onselen wrote that Labor has a 'direct incentive to maintain a high immigration policy as well as kowtow to India'.
Political Incentives
Dr Birrell said Labor has benefited politically from migration, even if the migrant vote is overstated. 'It's obvious that the Labor Party has made multiculturalism, immigration and open borders an essential feature of its overall government package,' he said. 'That's why they have not done anything to slow this tsunami of migration down. Migrants have bolstered the Labor vote.' He added that the government and Treasury appreciate extra people for tax revenue, while employers favour migration to keep wage costs down. Those on the left supporting open borders and multiculturalism see it as necessary for Australia to embrace global economies.
Public Opinion and Policy Recommendations
Dr Birrell stated that research conducted by the centre found most voters do not support the current high-migration agenda. 'The extent of opening up borders has gone way past what's beneficial for most Australians,' he said. 'We're now a country with massive competition for services and have a massive debt to provide all the infrastructure for these people. The benefits have swung strongly against the positives.' He called for Australia to move towards a more self-reliant policy stance, meaning less reliance on mass migration to sustain the economy.
Birth Rate Decline
Australia's birth rate has dropped to a record low of 1.48 children per woman, well below the replacement rate of 2.1. Dr Birrell argued that immigration policies have contributed to this decline. 'We're very unlikely to get a restoration of the birth rate while housing for young people is unaffordable. It's shocking,' he concluded.
