Migration is a complex topic for public debate. Net Overseas Migration (NOM), the difference between arrivals and departures, is a core driver of population change. This paper argues that the recent surge and subsequent fall in NOM in Australia are best understood as the delayed adjustment of a demand driven migration system after an unprecedented...

Australian migration has recently been extremely volatile. Currently, there are two main criticisms of the Australian Government’s migration policies. This paper reviews the evidence and draws conclusions. It finds that the post-pandemic surge in net overseas migration was driven by global forces more than local ones.

The sudden rise of net overseas migration in Australia to over half a million in 2022-23 has given rise to a much broader debate on the benefits of immigration. This paper provides a discussion of the rationales of the Australian migration program and stresses the importance of drawing a distinction between temporary and permanent migration.

Does the absence of precise targets for total population and for the rate of population growth mean that Australia does not have a population policy? That seems to be the popular perception based on the current debate about population, and no less an authority than the Productivity Commission has recently called for a population policy...

The Census Independent Assurance Panel has provided this written report to the Australian Statistician, giving its view on aspects of the quality of the 2016 Census data.