Housing crisis due to immigrants

Entrepreneur Dick Smith has blamed the "ridiculous" number of migrants moving to Australia for the country's housing affordability crisis.

 

He told Sky News yesterday evening that many young people would be unable to purchase a home as prices in capital cities continue to surge, rising by hundreds of dollars every day.

 

"A lot of our problems are from this unbelievable population increase," Mr Smith who lives in Sydney said.

 

"You can't drive in Sydney at the moment. The house price are enormous. Young couples can't even afford a house with a backyard anymore."

 

He pointed to "jumbo loads" of migrants arriving in Australia every week were the "main driver" behind the nation's housing affordability crisis.

 

"The main point that's driving our unaffordable housing is about 200,000 immigrants come in a year. That's five jumbo loads a week that go out empty," he told Sky News.

 

Mr Smith also said while many consumer goods were now cheaper current and future generations would no longer be able to fulfil the "Australian dream" of home ownership.

 

"The most fundamental right is to get a house with a backyard. Young couples can't do that anymore, purely driven in 95 percent of cases by the enormous population increase, mainly driven by ridiculous immigration."

 

The businessman who last year supported One Nation's policy of restricting migration levels, but not banning Muslim migrants, has called for a "sustainable" population level.

 

He declared that population growth of 1.7 percent would derail the country's long-term prosperity and Australia had reached a "sweet spot" of about 24 million people.

 

 

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/02/22/06/01/dick-smith-blames-migration-for-high-housing-prices#XRMT8A7y0yoLllEz.99

Entrepreneur Dick Smith has blamed the "ridiculous" number of migrants moving to Australia for the country's housing affordability crisis.

 

He told Sky News yesterday evening that many young people would be unable to purchase a home as prices in capital cities continue to surge, rising by hundreds of dollars every day.

 

"A lot of our problems are from this unbelievable population increase," Mr Smith who lives in Sydney said.

 

"You can't drive in Sydney at the moment. The house price are enormous. Young couples can't even afford a house with a backyard anymore."

 

He pointed to "jumbo loads" of migrants arriving in Australia every week were the "main driver" behind the nation's housing affordability crisis.

 

"The main point that's driving our unaffordable housing is about 200,000 immigrants come in a year. That's five jumbo loads a week that go out empty," he told Sky News.

 

Mr Smith also said while many consumer goods were now cheaper current and future generations would no longer be able to fulfil the "Australian dream" of home ownership.

 

"The most fundamental right is to get a house with a backyard. Young couples can't do that anymore, purely driven in 95 percent of cases by the enormous population increase, mainly driven by ridiculous immigration."

 

The businessman who last year supported One Nation's policy of restricting migration levels, but not banning Muslim migrants, has called for a "sustainable" population level.

 

He declared that population growth of 1.7 percent would derail the country's long-term prosperity and Australia had reached a "sweet spot" of about 24 million people.

 

 

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/02/22/06/01/dick-smith-blames-migration-for-high-housing-prices#XRMT8A7y0yoLllEz.99

 

You cannot bring up issues like this , its classed as racist .

You cannot bring up issues like this , its classed as racist .?

Racist? Where is race brought in to it?

You cannot bring up issues like this , its classed as racist .

You can actually have a sensible discussion on immigration.

 

It's just that a lot of people choose not to.

 

Australia wouldn't have avoided the GFC and recession if it wasn't for immigration. Immigration has been essential while seeing Australia through the Chinese boom.

 

But the government has been irresponsible in not taxing sufficiently to afford to build the infrastructure to support the increasing population. Not to mention other projects they have embarked on, competing with private industry for scare human and capital resources.

 

House prices could have been contained. They could have cancelled the first home buyer grant, and stopped negative gearing.

 

Instead, companies just banked vast profits.

Racist? Where is race brought in to it?

 

Of course its considered racist by some to question levels of immigration .

 

My post was tongue in cheek

Entrepreneur Dick Smith has blamed the "ridiculous" number of migrants moving to Australia for the country's housing affordability crisis.

 

He told Sky News yesterday evening that many young people would be unable to purchase a home as prices in capital cities continue to surge, rising by hundreds of dollars every day.

 

"A lot of our problems are from this unbelievable population increase," Mr Smith who lives in Sydney said.

 

"You can't drive in Sydney at the moment. The house price are enormous. Young couples can't even afford a house with a backyard anymore."

 

He pointed to "jumbo loads" of migrants arriving in Australia every week were the "main driver" behind the nation's housing affordability crisis.

 

"The main point that's driving our unaffordable housing is about 200,000 immigrants come in a year. That's five jumbo loads a week that go out empty," he told Sky News.

 

Mr Smith also said while many consumer goods were now cheaper current and future generations would no longer be able to fulfil the "Australian dream" of home ownership.

 

"The most fundamental right is to get a house with a backyard. Young couples can't do that anymore, purely driven in 95 percent of cases by the enormous population increase, mainly driven by ridiculous immigration."

 

The businessman who last year supported One Nation's policy of restricting migration levels, but not banning Muslim migrants, has called for a "sustainable" population level.

 

He declared that population growth of 1.7 percent would derail the country's long-term prosperity and Australia had reached a "sweet spot" of about 24 million people.

 

 

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/02/22/06/01/dick-smith-blames-migration-for-high-housing-prices#XRMT8A7y0yoLllEz.99

 

He is referring to the " American dream " ...job with a future ,relationship...marriage ...mortgage ...kids ....at one time ,that was a " given " in oz and America ..

No longer it seems .

Great post

Racist? Where is race brought in to it?

 

He is referring tongue in cheek to the UK as over the last year, anyone suggesting there are migration issues in the UK has been labeled racist by some.

He is referring tongue in cheek to the UK as over the last year, anyone suggesting there are migration issues in the UK has been labeled racist by some.

 

Yes ,we had 470,000 people arrive in the u.k last year ,but I dare not raise any concerns over housing ,schooling , or the strain on services ,because its considered racist ....

Yes ,we had 470,000 people arrive in the u.k last year ,but I dare not raise any concerns over housing ,schooling , or the strain on services ,because its considered racist ....

no, it's not actually, unless people actually start being racist, which does happen unfortunately.

 

The way it usually goes is people start discussing the issues, and then someone invites Isis into the conversation.

Edited February 22, 2017 by newjez

Start watching at 2:30, perfect example.

 

 

Start watching at 2:30, perfect example.

 

 

you've got a perfect opportunity to discuss Australian immigration here. Go for it.

you've got a perfect opportunity to discuss Australian immigration here. Go for it.

OK, I think controlled immigration is a good thing.

I'm happy for immigration to continue to the U.K. but if no job in 3 months you have to go home....and no access to unemployment/ low income benefits....if you need benefits you claim from your home country ie go home. I think this could've been negotiated without leaving the EU.

The issue of housing is not as simple as imigration, if it was then it would have been solved a long time ago.

 

Land release for housing is slow.

Developers will always build to maximise profits.

Everybody dreams of the perfect house, social or high density housing is not desirable.

People want to stay near their families and friends.

People want to buy property as somewhere to live but also as an investment.

Popular areas will always become more expensive usually due to schools, transport etc.

Popular areas attract more facilities, shops etc and leave other areas behind.

 

Now in Australia, I am an imigrant in fact I could be classified as an economic imigrant so the worst of the worst. I do not draw benefits but have bought a house, use public facilities etc so do put pressure on the system. I do pay my taxes etc so will be a net contributor.

 

S

Entrepreneur Dick Smith has blamed the "ridiculous" number of migrants moving to Australia for the country's housing affordability crisis.

 

He told Sky News yesterday evening that many young people would be unable to purchase a home as prices in capital cities continue to surge, rising by hundreds of dollars every day.

 

"A lot of our problems are from this unbelievable population increase," Mr Smith who lives in Sydney said.

 

"You can't drive in Sydney at the moment. The house price are enormous. Young couples can't even afford a house with a backyard anymore."

 

He pointed to "jumbo loads" of migrants arriving in Australia every week were the "main driver" behind the nation's housing affordability crisis.

 

"The main point that's driving our unaffordable housing is about 200,000 immigrants come in a year. That's five jumbo loads a week that go out empty," he told Sky News.

 

Mr Smith also said while many consumer goods were now cheaper current and future generations would no longer be able to fulfil the "Australian dream" of home ownership.

 

"The most fundamental right is to get a house with a backyard. Young couples can't do that anymore, purely driven in 95 percent of cases by the enormous population increase, mainly driven by ridiculous immigration."

 

The businessman who last year supported One Nation's policy of restricting migration levels, but not banning Muslim migrants, has called for a "sustainable" population level.

 

He declared that population growth of 1.7 percent would derail the country's long-term prosperity and Australia had reached a "sweet spot" of about 24 million people.

 

 

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/02/22/06/01/dick-smith-blames-migration-for-high-housing-prices#XRMT8A7y0yoLllEz.99

 

There are more to come wait and watch you cant stop migration anywhere except to winge..The young couple whom you are concerned about ask them to work harder and stay in competition..

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Australia does have controlled immigration - and strong controls. Overall immigration has hugely benefitted Australia - and all Australians by extension.

 

I see the problems with the major cities as a lack of planning with things like public transport links. An over-reliance on the car is gridlocking Australia's population hubs and making sustainable city growth much tougher.

Housing "investment" demand, supported by big tax breaks, is a much bigger driver of overpriced housing in this country than immigration is. He has a point-ette but as ever with Dick Smith, I'm not that interested in being lectured on globalisation and immigration by a bloke who made his money selling largely imported products to a growing (by immigration amongst other things) population

Two of the other drivers in the inner Melbourne market are international students (who drive the country's 3rd biggest industry) and interstate migration. We are not going to kill off the golden egg of education export and we can hardly stop people moving from interstate.

OK, I think controlled immigration is a good thing.

when I came back to Australia in 2002, there was an IT recession. Yet the government were importing IT staff faster than you could spit. They always do this. They can't react fast enough to changes in the economy. They were probably importing geologists when verystormy was out of work.

 

I would agree with letting people in if they can get a job. Let the market decide. But that does keep wages down, which has pros and cons. You could set numbers, but how do you decide those numbers?

 

Question for you. Would you restrict people in the north of Australia from traveling south for work? If there was a recession in the north and jobs in the south.

Edited February 22, 2017 by newjez

 

 

I'm happy for immigration to continue to the U.K. but if no job in 3 months you have to go home....and no access to unemployment/ low income benefits....if you need benefits you claim from your home country ie go home. I think this could've been negotiated without leaving the EU.

we are talking about Australia.

 

 

Two of the other drivers in the inner Melbourne market are international students (who drive the country's 3rd biggest industry) and interstate migration. We are not going to kill off the golden egg of education export and we can hardly stop people moving from interstate.

well, you could. Why not?

well, you could. Why not?

 

Would you suggest "a big, beautiful wall"?:cute:

 

 

Would you suggest "a big, beautiful wall"?:cute:

you would just need to make people register for employment in one state. But that is by the by. The thing is, we wouldn't do it because it would be crazy. Why have unemployed brick layers in Darwin, when bricks need to be laid in Sydney? Why is outside of the borders different from inside the borders?

I don't disagree with you necessarily but I think there are questions over fundamental freedom of movement that get in the way.

 

As a related point, would it possible to do more to encourage immigrants to actually work in the job that got them the visa? We are trying to fix a skills crisis but importing people on a permanent basis who may only be using their skills to get a visa with no intention of working in that area. So we gain nothing to boost skills, but possibly take away a job from an existing resident.

 

Maybe there is a case for a middle ground permanent visa tied to a profession for a certain time. But you would need to have a safety net system whereby you could prove that you were unable to get a job in that profession and then get permission to work in another. It would probably prove way too unwieldy.

 

Perhaps the answer is to issue more visas tied to a particular state?

I don't disagree with you necessarily but I think there are questions over fundamental freedom of movement that get in the way.

 

As a related point, would it possible to do more to encourage immigrants to actually work in the job that got them the visa? We are trying to fix a skills crisis but importing people on a permanent basis who may only be using their skills to get a visa with no intention of working in that area. So we gain nothing to boost skills, but possibly take away a job from an existing resident.

 

Maybe there is a case for a middle ground permanent visa tied to a profession for a certain time. But you would need to have a safety net system whereby you could prove that you were unable to get a job in that profession and then get permission to work in another. It would probably prove way too unwieldy.

 

Perhaps the answer is to issue more visas tied to a particular state?

all of this comes down to whether you believe markets should be open, or whether markets should be protected. From a global perspective, open markets are the most efficient and effective way of doing business. But there may be a local cost to this openness. Whether you are talking about tariffs, monopolies, movement of people, the argument is always the same. How efficient do you want your markets to be? How protected do you want them to be? Do the advantages of that efficiency balance the cost of the openness? Racism has been used as an argument to win these questions. That was wrong, but using racism as an argument for protectionism hasn't helped. There is no perfect solution, as people are at cross purposes. There is no way of making every body happy. Protectionism doesn't work. Globalisation doesn't work. All you can do is have a combination of both which upsets the least number of people. Edited February 23, 2017 by newjez