Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Saturday announced Tony Burke, already responsible for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, would also become the country's first population minister.
Mr Burke has been charged with drawing up a strategy on how to support Australia's growing population and its effect on infrastructure and services, housing, congestion, the environment, agriculture and water.
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'Immigration intake on agenda'
Ms Plibersek on Sunday said she expected the nation's immigration intake to be on the agenda when the new minister begins population talks with his state and territory colleagues.
"The type of immigration that we have, the skills that we focus on, whether we need increased or decreased migration over time, how our environment copes - these are all the sort of issues Tony Burke will be discussing," she told Network Ten.
Ms Plibersek wouldn't be drawn on whether the federal government was considering cutting Australia's immigration intake soon.
"I believe migration should be determined by what is in the best interests of Australia, year-on-year," she said.
"There are some years that we have needed, particularly in recent times, to see people migration for skills shortage reasons.
"When we don't have those requirements, it makes sense to moderate immigration intake."
Ms Plibersek rebuffed opposition leader Tony Abbott's criticism of the population plan, accusing him of once again taking a negative stance on Labor policy.
