The new South Australian Government has given top priority to boosting Adelaide’s population growth:
[Adelaide’s] population grew by just 0.7 per cent in 2016-17, its slowest growth rate since 2003-04.
Adelaide’s total population increase of 9,600 people was entirely met by overseas arrivals…
Premier Steven Marshall said the figures prove that urgent action is needed to address the situation.
“These population growth figures are completely unacceptable and much more must be done”…
Mr Marshall has long been critical of slow population growth in South Australia, and the issue was part of his election platform.
“One of the highest priorities of my government will be addressing low population growth in Adelaide and the regions,” the Premier said.
“Driving a population growth agenda is integral to creating more jobs here in South Australia.”
A look at the data shows that Adelaide has been growing at a solid clip, increasing in size by 165,386 people (14%) in the 13 years to 2017:
So, based on the sheer numbers, there is no cause for alarm – Adelaide’s annual average population growth of 1.0% over this 13-year period is well above the OECD average growth rate of 0.8%.
Moreover, where is the logic in increasing Adelaide’s population when basic government services are already straining. From SBS News:
Tired and stressed nurses across all wards at Royal Adelaide Hospital will come together next week to consider ways to reduce workloads amid fears patients’ lives are at risk.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation says the action has been prompted by the absence of government measures to alleviate the pressures across the public hospital network.
State secretary Elizabeth Dabars says the SA government is dragging its heels on implementing a “system-wide circuit breaker” to ease demand, especially in emergency departments…
Nursing, ambulance officers and clinicians met with Health Minister Stephan Wade last week in a bid to find solutions to the high demand for hospital services which has forced some patients to wait on ambulance ramps for a number of hours before being admitted…
How will adding thousands more migrants each year solve Adelaide hospitals’ crush-loading? It won’t. You don’t solve a problem of excessive demand by increasing demand even further.
