The pandemic has snapped the 'Big Australia' population rush. Morrison will soon fix that.

Wouldn't they at least, recheck on the environment? As in Crispin Hull's laundry list of "pandemic, climate change, cyber security, water security, over-population, species extinction, pollution, and natural-resource depletion".

Not at COVID COAG. Where it suffices to gloss population developments as "vibrant" and "sustainable". Drained of meaning, these words beg for respite.

With COAG gone, national cabinet retains a "population and migration" subcommittee. Morrison will spread the sugar. Treasury will keep the population levers.

Most years, Home Affairs lands Treasury migration targets passably well. Not Frydenberg's 271,000 target, for 2020. Instead, Morrison foreshadows 36,000, for 2020-21.

Frydenberg was seeking population growth at 1.7 per cent. COVID could reset that, underneath 1 per cent. More like the developed or OECD nations as a whole.

It's a "sliding doors" moment. So, what's next? Again, bet on a return to the winner's circle, from elite galloper Big Australia. Part owned by Chinese interests.

I listed his backers as political parties, Treasury and Reserve Bank, states and cities, developers, media, academics and unions. Never mind the electors or environment.

The backers despise the turncoats. Said Gladys Berejiklian, migration into NSW should halve. The media never investigated, how she was coaxed back into the fold.

Or consider, Home Affairs Shadow Kristina Keneally's recent opinion. The sheer level of migration "has hurt many Australian workers, contributing to unemployment, underemployment and low wage growth". Let's put "Australian workers first".

Words not lacking for evidence. Yet the media fulminated. "Adds fuel", "Hansonite populism", "slammed", "dropped a bomb" and "wrong to lecture us".

Cleverly, Morrison responded with spin. Not the racism card. Deep cuts to "skilled" migration would "hurt" the economy and "communities around Australia". We ought to rebound to 160,000-210,000 net migration. As per population prof Peter McDonald.

With respect, sirs. Unless history starts 2007, these are very beefy numbers. Plus, net (and permanent) migration is largely disconnected from skills in demand. Plus, most migrants head for Sydney or Melbourne. Not round Australia.