The Federal Government has welcomed a Victorian Government plan for MELBOURNE to become AUSTRALIA's biggest city by attracting more migrants.

The Federal Government is expected to approve a one-off additional intake of about twenty-thousand migrants when cabinet next meets.

VICTORIA's Premier STEVE BRACKS says he wants large numbers of them to settle in MELBOURNE.

Mr BRACKS says he wants MELBOURNE to have about six million residents by 2005.

"We believe we can significantly boost our population by having an increase in our migration intake. We're prepared in Victoria to take a bigger share of the new skilled migrants that are coming into this country. We're prepared to sponsor and assist them coming into Victoria. We believe that's good for our diversity, our engagement with the rest of the world and our economy as well"- he said.

The Federal Immigration Minister, AMANDA VANSTONE, says if VICTORIA needs more migrants, she welcomes the state government's plan.

NEW SOUTH WALES' Premier BOB CARR has said in the past he does not want SYDNEY to take significant extra numbers of migrants, because the city's infrastructure could not cope.