Kevin Rudd appoints Tony Burke as nation's first population minister

PM Kevin Rudd has appointed Tony Burke as the nation's first minister for population at the Lodge in Canberra today. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Australian

• AAP
• April 03, 2010 1:56PM

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has appointed Tony Burke as the nation's first population minister, amid growing concerns the number of Australians will rise to unsustainable levels.

Mr Burke will be responsible for drawing up a national population strategy and will retain his other portfolio of agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

Mr Rudd has been under pressure to better examine the nation's population, which is on a trajectory to reach 35.9 million by 2050.

He told reporters in Canberra the announcement came after a month of consideration.

"Many Australians have legitimate concerns about the sustainability of the population levels in different parts of the country,'' Mr Rudd said.

"Particularly its impact on urban congestion, its impact on the adequacy of infrastructure, its impact on the adequacy of housing supply, its impact on government services, its impact also on water and agriculture and on our regions.''...