Remember the ''big Australia'' debate? During the last federal election campaign in 2010, it was hard to escape furious arguments about population.

The issue may have faded from the political stage since then, but there are signs we could be heading for a strong pick-up in the number of people living here.

If sustained, this should provide a boost to some of the weakest parts of the economy, including the property market, retail and construction.

Population growth can have a big impact on an economy in the longer term.