There have been growing concerns about the country's rapid population growth for a long time. But this all really started to boil when Kevin Rudd - somewhat triumphantly it has to be said - announced a few months back that Australia would grow to 36 million within just 40 years!
Coupled with this concern is the clear reluctance of many commentators and policy makers to address the important role immigration plays in this population growth in a era when our own 'fertility rate' - our internal population growth rate from births minus deaths is less than zero.
Dick Smith has thrown his weight behind the voices against unfettered population growth, and he has made some sound observations on this new ministry:
"I think the Government announcing a Minister for Population is a good idea, I think they're genuine, but I have a problem. I feel they're going to spend most of their time working out how we can cope with 36 million, rather than looking at whether we really want 36 million."
Indeed.
Not that they shouldn't turn significant attention towards the coping side. Obviously we will get a lot of growth and key questions will need to be addressed:
- How do we encourage more people out of the major cities into so-called 'regional' towns?
- How do we protect the 'sea change' areas from being smothered with love?
- How do we ensure the continuing drivers in spiralling house prices are reined in - starting with addressing the skills shortage that was created during the Howard years?
- How do we transport everyone from where they live to where they work? (Surely this could be the driver behind the Federal Government finally getting serious about public transport?)
- And when are we going to get serious about addressing what this will do to our climate change contribution?
These are all serious questions that have gone neglected for far too long.
But Dick Smith is right when he says these 'big issues' could soak up the new portfolio's entire resources. There has to be a dedicated proportion of the budget and attention that goes towards addressing the source of the problems rather than just the 'symptoms'. We need to analyse exactly who should be allowed into the country - the skills versus family debate, the vexed issue of refugees, more.
What are all these people going to do?
ReplyDeleteIt's all well and good to say that they want to bump the population of Canberra up to near on half a million, but with jobs in the public service static and little to no manufacturing industry here, where do they intend them to find employment?
..this article popped up as i have google alerts scanning for "population growth"
ReplyDeletePlease realise that human population growth = reduction in numbers of all other species on the planet.
as a proponent of zpg, i'd love to think that the people will realise that increasing human populations are driving other species to extinction, or if not extinction to such lowered levels of sustainability that they are threatened, and indeed their ability to survive in reduced (and destroyed) natural habitats greatly hampered and diminished.
please consider the amount of broadacre farming and other sources of food required to sustain larger human populations, and that this food producing land (and oceans) is directly causing the destruction of natural habitats worldwide.
If 'people' have any regard for other species on this planet, they NEED to breed for replacement, and NOT to excess.
this cannot be imposed; but rather mandated by the people, as this is a democracy.