(MENAFN) Australia has cut its yearly intake of immigrants by about 15 percent, in addition to banning some new arrivals from living in its largest cities for three years, in a bid to ease urban overcrowding.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "This is a practical problem that Australians wanted addressed," after announcing the annual immigration intake would be reduced to 160,000 people, with effect from July 1, versus 190,000 before.
The decision comes at a time of national reflection over the country's approach towards migrants after the shooting of at least 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand's city of Christchurch.
"My great frustration is that, in addressing these issues of population and immigration programs, these debates often get hijacked by those of competing views who seek to exploit them for other causes," Morrison added.
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