There's been lots written about the unhitching of riding GDP and population growth from job creation over the last 2 decades. Rising GDP used to equal, more or less, a rise in the number jobs available in the economy and more people equaled more consumers etc. Got nothing to do with government debt but all to do with automation. There is simply, and will continue to be so, less demand for unskilled and semi skilled labour - where the vast majority of our migrants sit, so our rising population will actually not contribute to productivity as it used to because there is little if any productive work for these folk to do.
Processing plants, manufacturing, primary industries - all traditional employers require less people and will continue the trend. Rio Tinto remotely driving trucks in the Pilbara from Perth is a prime example. Much safer and much more productive than people, so there is a trend that will see less humans actually in the industry relative to productivity increases.
In short, those jobs are gone and aren't coming back. As for skilled workers - I joined the expat brigade long ago and will spend the bulk of my most productive years out of Australia for the simple fact that it is expensive, over governed and with an ever decreasing relative tax base, a huge chunk of my earnings goes in to an unsustainable system of population growth and job reduction.
