Kochie demands a solution to the housing crisis on Sunrise
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has called out the government as budget figures show 1.5 million new migrants move to Australia over the next five years as Kochie demands a solution to the housing crisis. Australia's population is still tipped to swell from 26.5million to 28.172milion in five years, with a record 400,000 to arrive in 2022-23 and 315,000 in 2023-24. Mr Dutton slammed the government's migration forecast claiming the influx of people will worsen the housing crisis. 'We all support a well-planned migration program because we're a great multicultural society and one of the best countries in the world,' Mr Dutton told Sunrise host David Koch on Thursday.. 'The fact is we're in the middle of a housing crisis and the middle of a rental crisis, and we're already stuck in congestion going and picking the kids up from school. 'Adding another 300,000 people a year over the next five years, where are these people going to live?' Mr Dutton said the government needs to first think about which schools and communities do not have congestion before placing migrants in neighbourhoods. 'When all that planning is done and the roads are upgraded so we can deal with congestion then we can bring migration numbers up in a planned way,' Mr Dutton said. 'Labour's big Australia policy at the moment was not mentioned at the election or in the Treasury's speech and I think the Prime Minister is just trying to slide it through.' Kochie added home building figures are at a 10 year low and an influx of migrants 'which is what we do need and would welcome' will further add to the exisiting housing crisis. The Sunrise host asked Mr Dutton for what he thinks is the solution and demanded the politician explain how he would fix the housing and rental market. 'It's difficult... you can put a lot of money in but ultimately the decision to develop land is a decision for a local council and a decision for state planning authorities,' Mr Dutton replied. 'We need to start planning, 1.5 million people is a higher number than the entire population of Adelaide, bringing them over a five year period in the middle of this crisis. 'As we have pointed out we have the most amazing migrant community in Australia but we need to do it in a planned way. The Sunrise host also spoke with Fairfield City Council Mayor Frank Carbone who claimed an influx of 1.5 million migrants will result in a reduction in the quality of life of those who live in the country. Mr Carbone said statistics show 30 per cent of the 1.5 million migrants will settle in NSW with a large number heading to south west Sydney. 'Our community has always resettled migrants because we know how important they are to our prosperity and to the prosperity of this country but 1.5 million is too much,' Mr Carbone said. 'Having people come in and compete with housing and health and other services at such a short time, all that means is that we will actually have a reduction in quality of life to those who live in this country.' Mr Carbone labelled the government's plan to 'dump' migrants into the community as a 'band-aid solution'. 'You can't just have a dump and run where government dumps migrants in and runs away and believe everything will be fine,' Mr Carbone said. 'Especially at a time when people are struggling to fill up their grocery baskets, pay for energy bills and put a roof over their heads. 'These things need to be planned. We need migration but we need to be sustainable.' Koch said councils are being criticised for being tough on housing developers with too much 'red tape'. The Lord Mayor claimed federal and state leaders are 'pointing the finger' as councils rely on developers to build housing. He added developers are not building housing because people cannot afford to buy. Koch lammed the Mayor's explanation as being 'a bit simple' and argued council's slow development application approval process is part of the issue. Mr Carbone fired back claiming most western Sydney councils plan for the future, with Fairfield to build 30,000 new dwellings in the next 20 years. 'You need to be able to provide the market for people to build. Most importantly, for people to buy,' Mr Carbone said. 'How are 1.5 million migrants who are coming to country and come come here with very little and they come here to build a new life and that's fine but how are they going to buy houses? 'You're complaining councils are at fault ... everyone seems to point at council's because it's convenient for them to dump and run and blame everyone else.' Kochie declared: 'We gotta stop politicising it and blaming each other. We gotta come up with a solution.'