Government to coax migrants to bush to drive down Sydney house prices
The Federal Government is considering a plan to coax migrants out of major cities, especially Sydney, and into regional areas.
It could ease some pressure on house prices.
In Sydney alone, prices have risen 16 per cent in the past 12 months and more than 600,000 new homes will be needed over the next 20 years to keep up with population growth.
News Corp reports the Coalition Government is looking at ways to encourage migrants into regional areas by increasing job opportunities and infrastructure.
Federal Assistant Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said there needed to be a discussion about how to make other economic centres more attractive, without driving up the costs to state and federal governments.
“While the government recognises that Sydney will still be an attractive destination for migration, we are looking to work with state governments and regional governments to partner with them to see what could attract migrants to other regional centres,’’ Mr Hawke said.
“That means employment prospects and the right infrastructure.”
Places like Goulburn or NSW’s central coast region were among those the government believes could help ease the pressure on Sydney.
However, he said an increase in migration would not accompany any plan to send new arrivals bush.
“There is no money federally and certainly not from the states to add to infrastructure or the provision of housing, so you can’t therefore increase your migration,” Mr Hawke told News Corp.
The NSW Government expects Sydney to grow from about 4.3 million people to 9.9m over coming decades.
NSW planning minister Anthony Roberts said about 40 per cent of the city’s population growth came from overseas and interstate migration, while the other 60 per cent came from natural growth.
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