It is good to see someone acknowledge the link between property values and population growth. The recent flattening of the Sydney market (less equity for the seq market? ) has coincided with a decline in the population growth rate. Unsurprisingly, this link receives no analysis.
Obviously, the attractiveness of SEQ does not include the wholescale environmental vandalism taking place so that vast arrays of future slums can be constructed to house these extra people. The Gold Coast planners at least have the good sense to build highrise, though the vandalism taking place inland is truly revolting.
There have been many comments about how SEQ's water supply is more than adequate. Cheap water is a huge part of the lifestyle, unless you prefer baked clay to a swimming pool and subtropical garden. But all the cheap water is nearly gone. And if you want more, you are looking at over $3 per kilolitre for extra supply, and a large and vocal opposition, especially if desalination plants are considered, which they will be.
Unless the government makes huge capital commitments to new and existing infrastructure, growth rates will not be able to be supported without a significant degradation of living standards.
The people are still coming in large numbers, so that will support prices. I think that the infrastructure could cope with the growth alone in the short term, but climate change, manmade or natural, could catch them with their pants down. There has been an expectation that any change in water inflows would be gradual, not sudden. All solutions will take time, so there is potential for a short term water crisis.
Will SEQ be so appealing in the circumstances? The federal gov has jacked immigration rates right up, so the extra people will have to live somewhere.
pa28 should be excused for his ignorance. Brisbane water authorities have been doing their best to keep things quiet.
