Population grew by 392,700 in the year to 30 March 2026

Australia’s population grew by 392,700 in the year to 30 March 2026, and 292,100 of that increase came from net overseas migration, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data cited by Sustainable Population Australia.

Those figures pushed the national total towards 28 million. Sustainable Population Australia said Australia passed 28 million people in early June 2026.

The group calculated that the current pace adds 1 million people every 30 months. It argued that infrastructure and the natural environment face growing pressure as migration drives most of the increase.

Peter Strachan projects 29 million by 2029

Peter Strachan, national president of Sustainable Population Australia, argued that faster population growth adds to inflation pressures and reduces quality of life for long-settled families and recent arrivals.

He said: “At its present pace of expansion Australia will host 29 million people by January 2029. Population growth drives a never-ending requirement for power and water, as well as supporting infrastructure, including dwellings, schools, hospitals, roads and railway lines. When will enough be enough?”

Strachan also called for an immigration program that is high-skill, selective and manageable. He said intake levels should fit within housing, infrastructure, water supply and Australia’s long-term ecological carrying capacity.

Bayliss links housing push to land clearing

Michael Bayliss, communications manager at Sustainable Population Australia, tied the migration debate to housing demand and environmental damage. He argued that governments cannot keep building for a rapidly growing population without adding pressure to degraded landscapes.

Bayliss pointed to a recent United Nations Environment Programme report that warned demand for sand used in building could rise by up to 45% by 2060.

He also linked the federal target of 1.2 million new homes in under five years to increased clearing of native vegetation. Bayliss said that push had contributed to a “trees vs house” debate.

According to the group, that conflict would not be as sharp without strong demand for new housing tied to high immigration settings.