5 million by 2020

The Herald reports:

New Zealand’s population is predicted to hit 5 million in about 2020 and could reach this milestone sooner.

In the year to June 2016, the population grew by 97000, its fastest rate since the 1960s.

Statistics NZ senior demographer Kim Dunstan said both immigration numbers and population growth had exceeded their predication.

“Our population was estimated to be 4.69 million at 30 June 2016, with net migration being 69,100 over the June year.”

The latest figures made it likely that the population would rise to between 4.9 and 5.1 million by 2020.

We obviously need to start deporting people to Australia!