人口激增，维州压力山大

上週官方公佈的数据显示，去年维州人口增长 2.4%，可谓澳洲所有州人口增长之首。

维州增加 14.7 万人，相当于一个典型的地方市镇人口总量，例如, Boroondara 市、白马市等地方市镇总人口。每年所增加的人口，对于房屋、交通、医疗保健等多项基础设施都造成一定需求，对维州基础建设也带来相对的压力。

维州需制定一项针对人口增长的因应计画，鼓励更多人转移至郊区，给郊区发展带来动力，也舒缓墨尔本和近郊因人口增长所面临基建不足的压力。

我们需要一个有远见且善规划的政府，提前做好适当规划，因应人口增长，道路开发、大众运输、学校、警局、医院等基础设施，使其都能适时也适地的完成，不负人民期望。

英文版/English version

Population surge puts Victoria under pressure

Official figures released last week show that Victoria’s population grew by 2.4% last year. This was the faster growth of any state in Australia.

The increase of 147,000 people is equivalent to the entire population of a typical local council area, such as Boroondara or Whitehorse, being added to Victoria’s population in just one year. All of these extra people need houses, transport, health care and other services.

Victoria needs a plan for this population growth, to encourage more people to live in country Victoria, which is looking for more population, and to take the pressure off Melbourne and its suburbs.

We also need a government that will plan properly so that the roads, public transport, schools, police stations and hospitals needed for this increased population are built in time, and are built in the places where they are needed.