Today Queensland welcomed its 5 millionth resident, a newborn baby, tipping the state’s population over to 5 million.

But if it wasn’t a newborn, “it would’ve certainly been somebody coming in on an international flight,” says Ross Greenwood.

It puts the population five years ahead of schedule.

Demographer Mark McCrindle tells Ross the state is “coping” with the growth.

“It’s not so much growth around Brisbane, it’s Sunshine Coast, its Gold Coast, its Cairns and Townsville and Toowoomba.

“It’s got more of Australia’s top 30 cities than the largest states of New South Wales and Victoria.

“It can absorb these numbers, although the growth has been faster than was forecast.”

Listen to the full interview below