Scott Morrison’s population expert at odds on migrant cut by Australian leaders, by Ben Packham.

Scott Morrison has been embarrassed at his first Council of Australian Government’s meeting as his hand-picked population expert criticised his planned cuts to the permanent immigration intake in front of premiers and chief ministers, amid resistance from every state except NSW to any lowering of migration numbers. …

The Prime Minister’s population policy agenda was undermined at the meeting by Melbourne University demographer Peter McDonald, who said cutting immigration numbers would do nothing to ease congestion in Sydney and Melbourne and could harm smaller states. …

“I believe the current level of migration is the correct level for Australia at least for the next decade, because of labour market ­issues,” he told The Australian. …

Mr Morrison said … he remained committed to cutting immigration from 190,000 to about 160,000. …

It is understood the policy will work in concert with yet-to-be announced measures that would apply geographic conditions on skilled migrants, forcing them to settle in regions or cities outside of Melbourne and Sydney for a minimum of five years.

Perhaps Professor McDonald represents the view of the bureaucrats and academics, who mainly run policy in this country? Mr Morrison is responding to popular pressure (from the deplorables?), and is bravely disobeying our opinion forming class.