Economics
The Secret to Australia Avoiding Recession: Mass Immigration
- Fringe lawmakers calling for dramatic cuts to new arrivals
- Population has swelled 50 percent over past three decades
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Australia is standing firm amid growing calls for immigration curbs, even as the U.S. and Europe succumb to rising populism. It has little choice if it’s to continue a period of record economic expansion.
A flood of arrivals that’s swelled the population by 50 percent over the past three decades has underpinned economic growth and allowed a succession of governments to boast of avoiding recession since 1991. Populists are blaming immigrants for over-burdened infrastructure, soaring housing prices and low wage growth.