You claim that population growth in oz is zero? If you take a visit to the abs http://www.abs.gov.au/ you could find out how inaccurate that statement is. The cause of the current bubble is almost exclusively immigration.
In 2001-02, net long-term migration into Australia was more than double net permanent migration, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In 2001-02, there were 93,000 net long-term migrants and 40,700 net permanent migrants.
Net long-term migration is the excess of overseas arrivals over departures, involving a duration of stay of 12 months or more.
Net overseas migration gain in 2001-02 was 133,700 people, down from 135,700 in 2000-01.
Long-term arrivals (264,500) and long-term departures (171,400) in 2001-02 were the highest ever recorded for a year in Australia. This compares with 88,900 permanent arrivals and 48,200 permanent departures in that year.
Over two-thirds (66%) of the 264,500 long-term arrivals in 2001-02 were visitors and 34% were residents returning to Australia.
Nearly half of long-term visitors arrived for education (48%), while 15% came for holidays and 13% for employment. Most long-term visitor arrivals were from North-East Asia (34%), South-East Asia (22%) and North-West Europe (19%).
The most common originating countries of permanent migrants were New Zealand (18%), the United Kingdom (10%), China (8%), South Africa and India (each 6%).
Australian-born people made up half of all permanent departures, a proportion that has been steadily increasing.
Most Australian residents leaving long-term, left for employment (35%) and holidays (22%). They went to countries like the United Kingdom (35%) and the United States of America (10%), and to countries in North-East Asia (13%) and South-East Asia (12%).
As a result of migration, 23% of Australia's Estimated Resident Population was born overseas at 30 June 2001. People born in the United Kingdom were the largest group of overseas-born residents (6% of the resident population), followed by New Zealand (2%).
Further information is in Migration, Australia (cat. no. 3412.0).
