Australia minister sounds warning as Melbourne, Sydney sprawl

Canberra

THE populations of Sydney and Melbourne are set to almost double by 2060, Australia's new Cities Minister Jamie Briggs said, sounding a warning that ailing infrastructure and surging house prices must be tackled to ensure they remain liveable.

"For a country that brags about the fact we're a big, wide land we live in very small urban spaces," Mr Briggs, who was appointed last month by new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, said in Canberra on Wednesday. "That trend is only going to continue."