Six out of ten Australians don't want more people - poll

Melbourne, Mar. 1 (ANI): More than 60 percent of Australians participating in a poll have said that the federal government should not go ahead with plans to increase the country's population from 22 million to 35 million by 2050, largely through immigration.

According to AAP, a majority of the 1000 people surveyed by Essential Research late last month thought the environment was too fragile to cope with more people, and there was not enough space for them.

The government wants to boost the population because it means more young taxpayers to pay for the high costs of an ageing population.

The public, however, aren't buying the economic argument either. Just over half of those surveyed thought more people would not help the economy.

The poll also found that just over half the respondents - 51 per cent - approved of the government's plan to means test the rebate for private health cover. A third of respondents opposed the plan.

The government wants to wind back the rebate for single people earning more than 75,000 dollars and couples earning more than 150,000 dollars a year. (ANI)