The Stable Population Party of Australia (SPPA)- now open for membership

Mon, 2010-02-22 12:20 by Sheila Newman

Dear interested parties

Re: Stable Population Party of Australia

To contact SPPA: www.populationparty.com, stablepopulation[AT]live.com.au, [Download membership application form (PDF, 418K).]

You may have heard that a new political party is being formed to help stabilise Australia’s population at around 23 million through until 2050.

This is in contrast to current projections of at least 36 million.

Australia’s high population growth rate leads to a doubling of our population every 30-35 years, and causes or exacerbates many of our major economic, environmental and social problems.

The results of high population growth have been near-permanent water shortages, increasing pollution, dying river systems, a surge in imports and skyrocketing foreign debt, reduced per capita value of our mineral wealth and exports, unaffordable housing, expensive rebuilding of our cities and infrastructure, impoverished government budgets, loss of limited arable farmland to housing, traffic gridlock, crowding of our coastal towns and resorts, loss of native species and wildlife like the koala, urban congestion, local suburb planning conflict, loss of personal security and open spaces for our children to play, just to name a few. What is all this in aid of?

According to the Australian Academy of Science and leading demographers, a stable population is now both necessary and possible.

Here are two recent media reports concerning the formation of the party:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/new-party-wants-population-debate-20100207-nkxn.html

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/how-many-is-too-many-australias-people-problem-20100218-ogfp.html

As the founder, I have also recently promoted the new party in media interviews on Today Tonight, ABC Radio, etc.

In summary, our major policies to help stabilise Australia’s and the world’s population are as follows:

*
Adopt a formal national ‘population policy’ to stabilise Australia’s population at around 23 million until 2050.
*
Adopt a balanced and sustainable migration program, with annual immigration at around 50-80,000, being equivalent to total annual emigration.
*
Maintain Australia’s current refugee and humanitarian intake within this broader immigration quota.
*
Abolish the Baby Bonus and re-direct funds to needy families, as well as to education and training of our own workforce.
*
Tie foreign aid wherever possible to the improvement of governance and economic and environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on women’s rights and on opportunities for couples to access family planning services.

The abovementioned article links will give you further background information.

We need 500 ‘Founding Members’ ASAP in order to apply to the Australian Electoral Commission for official registration in early March. The AEC registration process then takes up to 12 weeks. We need official registration by mid-year to stand candidates in most States and Territories in the 2010 Federal Election.

Australia’s population growth isn’t inevitable. It is a choice and we are entitled to make it.

At the next Federal election we will finally have the choice between a stable, sustainable Australia, and a future Australia we won’t recognise. We can decide what we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren.

I am pleased to say that Stable Population Party of Australia already has the support and encouragement of a range of thoughtful and high profile Australians, including Mark O’Connor and William lines, co-authors of Overloading Australia.

Please ensure you read this book! See: http://www.australianpoet.com/overloading.html

Please post your completed Stable Population Party of Australia membership application ASAP to:

PO Box 601
Neutral Bay NSW 2089

Note that we are currently a ‘lean and mean’ organisation with a committee of volunteers. We will do our best to get back to you ASAP if you have any enquiries. A website will also be up and running by early March 2010 at www.populationparty.com for you to view.

Best regards

William Bourke
Stable Population Party of Australia

Ed. William Bourke is a Sydney businessman

Topic:

Comments

John Marlowe

Sat, 2010-02-20 19:19

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Yes, suspend immigration but go further!

Excellent news.

* I support stabilising Australia’s population at what we have now as a start.

But go further!

* Encourage a negative net migration rate until Federal and state governments demonstrate carrying capacity for what we've got (and cancel the desalination plant at Wonthaggi, and a moratorium on any new dams in Australia)

* Undertake an independent national public infrastructure audit to gauge Australia's economic, environmental and social problems tied to population existing growth, with an interim report by 30 Jun 2010 (four months time)

* "Adopt a formal national ‘population policy’ to stabilise Australia’s population at around 23 million until 2050". (I agree)

* "Maintain Australia’s current refugee and humanitarian intake within this broader immigration quota." Yes but I would go further and assess the full assimiliation cost (housing, living expenses, language, work skilling, health care, education, family support and Federally fund that cost - it is likely $500,000 per individual or more over 10 years.

* "Abolish the Baby Bonus and re-direct funds to needy families, as well as to education and training of our own workforce." (Yes, I agree)

* "Tie foreign aid wherever possible to the improvement of governance and economic and environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on women’s rights and on opportunities for couples to access family planning services." (Yes, with emphasis on Oceania - PNG, West Papua, East Timor, Pacific Islands, with quarterly performance reporting).

*Obtain and make public the statistics of all immigrants in the past 10 years in respect of their current employment status and occupation type.

*Immediately suspend the work Visa 457 scheme

* Undertake an Australian work skills need audit and reconcile this with current education programmes provided by the Federal government

And that's for starters.

Agent Provocateur

Thu, 2010-02-25 03:28

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Excellent~Good Luck ToThe Stable Population Party of Australia

I really like your point here, John - from... * "Maintain Australia’s current refugee and humanitarian intake within this broader immigration quota. " Yes but I would go further and ... assess the full assimiliation cost (housing, living expenses, language, work skilling, health care, education, family support and Federally fund that cost - it is likely $500,000 per individual or more over 10 years." ... Perhaps you could send your comments to SPPA? Best Regards...

Anon. (not verified)

Thu, 2010-02-25 11:38

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Economic immigration costs us heavily too!

The cost of economic immigration is also high, and not proportional to population size or growth. The cost of expanding cities and urban sprawl, plus the cost of natural resources and the infrastructure that must be updated and upgraded, is not covered by the short-term benefits of economic immigration. The States with the highest populations are not the wealthiest, and this applies to nations as well. Population growth is usually positively correlated with poverty and misery, except for the oil-producing countries but we are facing peak oil crisis, so this won't last. Labor in Victoria wanted to pass, but failed, a growth region tax to pay for the infrastructure to support urban sprawl - for roads, power, water, public services etc. This is extortion, and vendors should not have to pay for services they will not get! Governments get sponsorships from the growth industries, so those who reap the benefits are those legislating for continual growth!

Anonymous (not verified)

Thu, 2010-02-25 23:10

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Have a look at this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAqViqWMW4g

Anonymous (not verified)

Thu, 2010-02-25 23:18

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Predicts that SPPA will disappear without trace

I confidently predict that Mr Bourke’s party will sink without trace as most single-issue parties do.

Phil Loveridge (not verified)

Fri, 2010-02-26 12:38

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Time for Political revolution in Australia

I was nominating myself as a candidate in the seat of Robertson based on all of the issues outlined by this new party, my chances as an independent were minimal up against the two majors. I will now be joining the SPPA and and look forward to re-uniting Australians and giving us an alternative that will speak out and give accountable debate in parliament

Geoff (not verified)

Sun, 2010-02-21 12:35

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Where to download membership application for population party?

If 500 members are needed by mid March in order to register the new Party then where can we download an application? Editorial comment: The website www.populationparty,org won't be up until the middle of March. In the meantime, I will try to obtain a PDF document to post to this site,

Sheila Newman

Sun, 2010-02-21 23:34

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Link to Application to join Stable Pop Party now available

Download from here It's a 418 kb file so I put it elsewhere so as not to hold up downloading the actual article.

About Time (not verified)

Sun, 2010-02-21 22:22

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About time there was a party against population growth

About time, there is going to be a political party that i strongly agree with.I thought Kevin Rudd would see how much strain our hospitals, roads, water, environment and aged care homes were being put under with high immigration. He is starting to remind me of John Howard,they are both for property developers and big business. Tony Abbott is even worse than Kevin Rudd!

aime

Mon, 2010-02-22 11:05

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Where can I find the policies?

I think the Stable Population Party of Australia is a great idea and one that should have been formed long ago. I'd very much like to join, but having been rather disappointed by a political party I joined 15 years ago and eventually left in disgust, I'd like to know a lot more about the party's other policies before I sign on. It's easy to start a new political party and it's relatively easy to gain ARC registration. All you need is 500 members, which considering how the two major parties treat the desires of main-stream Australians, that goal shouldn't be all that difficult to achieve, but you also need a complete set of policies that will appeal to those same main-stream citizens. The party I joined 15 years ago came about as a direct reaction to a very controversial and hastily formed policy which, along with many others, I felt very passionate about and so I quickly joined and began attending meetings. I was soon to discover that their policies towards other matters of society were either sadly wanting or missing altogether. I do hope this party has a full set of carefully thought out policies relevant to both Australians and overseas countries. Perhaps I've missed the link, but is there somewhere I can go to read the parties policies and how they will affect me? Population sustainability is an issue that requires urgent attention and yet I fear much of the population of this great country isn't interested so long as they have sufficient income to play with their toys such as huge plasma TV sets, trail-bikes, boats, over large SUV's etc and live in low maintenance homes (which equates to more time to enjoy the toys.) My desire is to see this new party become fully functioning and scoring points before the old Australia I once knew has been ruined beyond recovery, yet it will be a hard task to convince main-stream Aussies to jump on board. As a close relative said just yesterday when I mentioned SPPA....."It'll just be another small party which will take a few votes away from the main parties!" In other words, my relative wasn't about to contemplate joining or voting for a party until they can match blow for blow against the big two. Still, I wish the Stable Population Party of Australia all the very best and look forward to seeing them right up there fighting for our children and grand children's future against the insane policies of the growthist Liberal and Labor parties coupled to the big business developers that support the nightmare of continual expansion done purely to serve the interests of greed. I know it won't happen overnight, but if their policies are in tune with my own thinking on how I'd like to see this country in another 40 years, then they'll get my vote and may even have another member. Cheers, Aime.

Sheila Newman

Mon, 2010-02-22 13:44

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New Australia Party and Stable Population Party

There is another party with a small population policy, which does have a wide range of policies and which members can contribute to. It is the New Australia party. They are also looking for members. I will put up an article soon. The policies they have had which I have read quickly seem very good - better than the major parties at any rate. See below numbered comments for another comment about one of their policies on commercial indigenous fauna industry which they have modified in response to my comment. They even considered getting rid of it. Can I also say that I think your close relative is wrong about 'taking votes away from the major parties' for two reasons: 1. All votes eventually flow to the major parties unless there is an absolute landslide, which has never happened in post-war society here. This is because of our preferential voting system, where, if the party you put first on your preferences doesn't win an outright majority, then your vote flows on to your next preference, and your next preference, and finally down to ALP or Lib, whichever you disliked least. 2. If any small parties or independents get in they will be able to balance out, with diverse opinions, the block-voting style of the ALP and the Liberals, which is what keeps democracy away from Parliament at the moment. They will be able to assist the Greens to diverge from their currently almost-mainstream look-alike position. Diversity of opinion in Parliament would also hopefully break down the media-monopoly of election information by voting down media-monopoly laws and the system which perpetuates the monopoly. Note that the New Australia Party supports the kangaroo industry for idealistic reasons, but that I have managed to have the statement at the end about statistics not being adequate to go ahead inserted to modify their policy: "Kangaroo - Farming kangaroos to produce Kangaroo meat rather than beef and sheep meat may have environmental benefits. Kangaroos have much lower methane output and water inputs during meat production. Kangaroo is also healthier to eat then beef or sheep, and kangaroos have a lower impact on the land. For this to work kangaroos would have to be properly farmed as opposed to hunting roaming populations which would not be sustainable on a large scale. Climate Taxes on methane producing animals may assist kangaroo farming to become economically viable - although higher fencing and other costs may make kangaroo farming unviable. Harvesting of roaming native populations should only be continued once the statistics on kangaroo and other indigenous fauna became reliable, which is currently not the case." Note also that the Justice for Animals Party may incorporate a small population policy; I know that one of the organisers is working on this.

aime

Mon, 2010-02-22 13:51

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Thanks for that Sheila. I'll

Thanks for that Sheila. I'll stay tuned. Aime.

Phoenix (not verified)

Mon, 2010-03-01 11:50

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SPPA must stay focussed on core goals

Subject was: Reality of Politics. - JS

For several years I have been an active advocate for the limiting of Australian population growth. As such I strongly endorse the formation of this new political party with this concept at its core. I have sent in my application for membership.

Given the strong groundswell public opinion likely to favour such a party it is probable the SPPA will quickly draw the attention of the major parties and the mainstream media. It is therefore imperative for this party to stay focused on the core message. The party will initially attract a range of members who, while united on the core party policy, will have a disperate range of views on every other topic under the sun. It is very easy for the mainstream media to use these range of views to paint the party as a pack of radical ratbags. The Pauline Hanson saga is a clear picture of how this stereotyping can occur in the media. Independent of Ms Hanson's political views, most fair minded commentators would agree that the way in which she was crucified by the media was, at the very least, undemocratic.

Any new party that attracts strong popular opinion will be vehemently attacted in this same way. So any supporters out there will need to understand the newly formed party will not be able to divert attention to directly support your pet political cause, be it desalination plants or koala sanctuaries. The party in it's formative stages needs to stay focused on the core message.

Sheila Newman

Mon, 2010-03-01 12:24

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Josh Gordon's pop article misleads on State Responsibilities

Ex-banker, now Editor, Josh Gordon of The Age has written an article about population with two major faults that belong to the big population propaganda brigade and situate him with the growth lobbyists. This is not surprising given his banking background and the Age interest in international sales of Australian RealEstate through their property dot com and other facilities. The only other explanation that occurs to me is that Josh Gordon is a lousy researcher. The name of the article is, "Congestion the ultimate cost of people ingestion", (February 28, 2010.)

In his article, Josh Gordon promotes the furphy that State Governments have little control over immigration, using the Victorian State opposition spokesman as a mouthpiece for misinformation.

"As opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison points out, the states have little influence over migration levels, despite being responsible for many areas that are affected, including planning, infrastructure and environment."

This is sadly misleading to his readers. The Victorian State Government has a major net-site that advertises for people to come from overseas and elsewhere to live in Victoria. It is called Live in Melbourne Victoria Australia and makes a shambles of democracy.

The other furphy he promotes is that the discussion must be about how much bigger our immigration intake might be.
He does not allow for democratic input against high immigration.

"None of this is to say that immigration is a bad thing. What we do need is to have a sensible debate about how big we want to get."

Thus one must regretfully consign his article to the fish and chips wrapper status along with so much other propaganda.

The Stable Population Party of Australia (SPPA)- now open for membership

Re: Stable Population Party of Australia

Topic:

Comments

Yes, suspend immigration but go further!

Excellent~Good Luck ToThe Stable Population Party of Australia

Economic immigration costs us heavily too!

Have a look at this

Predicts that SPPA will disappear without trace

Time for Political revolution in Australia

Where to download membership application for population party?

Link to Application to join Stable Pop Party now available

About time there was a party against population growth

Where can I find the policies?

New Australia Party and Stable Population Party

Thanks for that Sheila. I'll

SPPA must stay focussed on core goals

Josh Gordon's pop article misleads on State Responsibilities

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