Could immigration fix the labour and tax shortages when the baby boomers start retiring in 2-5years?

I live in Australia, we have a measly 30,000 immigrants each year. Australia in land area is about the same sizea as the USA who has 300million people, we have 21million, though 80%+ of australia is too dry to live in. In saying that, there are towns like Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Tamworth and many others that could take 5million each with the right planning. When the baby boomers start retiring in a few years time, there is going to be a huge strain on the federal budget. Wouldn't it be a good idea to open the gates wide open to immigration and let these hard working, potentially tax paying, asylum seekers in? I just don't get the snobby attitude, we are so rich compared to other countries. what are your thoughts?

Public Comments

1. You do have a point, but if open the doors to everyone that wants to enter Australia we may be opening the doors to potential terrorists, drug dealers, black market sales person, diseased beings, etc. I think the system we have going now is the correct one, we can not allow more to enter Australia than we can facilitate, allowing select numbers in will help to control infrastructure, personal space, wealth and most of all to stop disease from spreading. I know with more people in Australia we can build that infrastructure but many others will lose their jobs due to people willing to work for less than minimum wage
2. Speaking as a baby boomer I couldn't agree more ! You guys had better get your act together & fast ! Our generation have carried you for far too long so now it's your turn ....lol Okay , I get your drift but let's be a bit realistic here ...there is no point in Australia being inundated with unskilled labour at this point in our history ...we need people with the skills & initiative to grow our economy , to contribute & be contributors to society. The trouble with your idea of turning our country towns into cities is that there simply aren't the resources & infrastructure to cope with it...using Sydney as an example , it has 4 million people & look how it struggles....could you really imagine Bathurst or Tamworth as big as that ? It isn't going to happen ! We need steady growth in line with our capacity to provide infrastructure & services to support population increase...that takes time , investment , resources , skills & most importantly , good government !
3. where do you propose they all live in Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Tamworth what services, infostucter water, doctors hostpitals do these towns have for a mass influx of people? I live where a heap of immigrants have just landed now my elderly father rarely gets into the doctor as its full of immigrants