[chad_oliver]

While you're absolutely correct that Australia hasn't had a recession in that time, this hides the fact that there have been periods when GDP _per-capita_ has declined. Or to put it another way: Australia's recessions have been hidden by immigration-driven growth.

Of course, immigration-driven growth is great! But for people on the ground, what matters is GDP per capita, not total GDP.

[simorley]

> Of course, immigration-driven growth is great! But for people on the ground, what matters is GDP per capita, not total GDP.

If GDP per capita is what you are interested in, you don't want immigration as it increases the "capita" part.

Also, Australia's growth had nothing to do with immigration. It had everything to do with China and China's economic growth.