Anthony Albanese calls for 'mature debate' on population growth

Labor leader says the government just seems to be drifting along without a plan as our big cities feel the strain

The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, says Australia needs to have a "mature debate" about population growth, saying a damning infrastructure audit has highlighted the strain being felt in our biggest cities.

Following the release of an Infrastructure Australia report that found $40bn in annual infrastructure spending was needed to cope with a forecast population of 31.4 million by 2034, Albanese said the findings were a "wake-up call" for the government to fast track spending on major road and rail projects.