The Federal Government is facing demands for details of its plan to ban new migrants from major cities for up to five years. Canberra says it’s to ease congestion on roads and rail.

Liam Kennedy reports.

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Migration accounts for 60% of Australia’s population growth.

Nearly 90% gravitate towards Sydney and Melbourne where there’s already too much congestion.

The migration proposal, first considered several years ago, would see skilled workers without family connections forced to live in regional areas.

The Population Minister says the increased pressure on capital cities is due to poor planning by the previous Labor Government.

Alan Tudge, Cities and Population Minister: “We didn’t have the infrastructure built really even for the expected population growth let alone the actual population increase.”

While in opposition, current PM Scott Morrison slammed the idea.

Scott Morrison, Population Shadow Minister: “There is a reality about where people settle, that’s difficult to shift.”

Now the PM will have to sell the government’s plan, with questions remaining about how exactly people will be restricted to certain areas.

Another solution is faster trains between cities and regional centres.

The government is investigating upgrades to commutes from Sydney to Newcastle, Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne to Shepparton.

Liam Kennedy, QUT News.