More proof high immigration harms productivity

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Outfits like the Grattan Institute argue that Australia needs to maintain a high immigration policy to maximise productivity growth.

Their analysis consistently overlooks the empirical evidence showing that Australia’s productivity growth declined as immigration surged.

GDP, productivity and immigration

Australia has experienced the strongest population growth in the advanced world this century, yet its productivity performance has been abysmal.

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Population growth and productivity

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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.