Greens to put Senate motion for an independent inquiry into population growth

Sun, 2010-03-14 14:47 by admin

Decades overdue, but, nevertheless, welcome, the Greens are to introduce into the Senate a motion calling for the establishment of an independent National Inquiry into Australia's Population to 2050.

Set population at infrastructure, environment capacity through national inquiry

Media release of 14 March 2010

On Monday the Greens will move a motion calling on the Government to establish an independent National Inquiry into Australia's Population to 2050.

“Australia’s population should be determined by the capacity of our environment and our infrastructure,” said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown.

“Australia cannot support an increase in population to 35 million by 2050.

“Immigration should not be stopped.

"In fact Australia should increase its humanitarian immigration program, but we need to reduce our skilled migration program and balance that reduction by investing in skills training for Australians.

“National population policy is the responsibility of government; it should be responsive to national and global factors.

“Global population is expected to grow from 6.8 billion people now to 9.2 billion by 2050 and Australia should be taking a lead in finding global solutions.

“That should include increasing Australia's overseas aid budget to 0.7% GDP now with more funding for literacy and reproduction health programs for women and girls.”

Media contact: Erin Farley 0438 376 082

Erin Farley
Media Adviser
Senator Bob Brown | Leader of the Australian Greens
Suite SG-112 Parliament House, Canberra ACT
P: 02 6277 3577 | M: 0438 376 082| F: 02 6277 3185

Editorial comment: If this represents a final departure by the Greens from years of avoidance of this most critical of issues, occasionally interspersed with seemingly tokenistic short-lived pronouncements against population growth, then we welcome it, but we will believe it when we see it.

What you can do: contact your Senators (Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas, SA, WA, NT) and ask that they support this motion. Please let us know of any responses or lack of. Join, campaign and vote for, a party opposed to population growth (see below). Put pro-growth parties last on your ballot form.

See also: "Greens call for population inquiry" of 14 Mar 10 on ABC news Online, Greens' Senate media page, "Are the Greens a real alternative?" of 9 Mar 10, the Stable Population Party of Australia, the New Australia Party and the Animal Justice Party.

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Vivienne (not verified)

Mon, 2010-03-15 12:08

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Poll on an inquiry for a population target

Poll at ABC Online: Should the Australian government commission a population target inquiry? ABC Online Population Poll Already 80% have answered "YES".

Sheila Newman

Mon, 2010-03-15 23:52

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Not another enquiry; just need a Small Population Policy

Problem is that we have already had multiple enquiries. The Government will just use this as an opportunity to gain time and to deploy the same growthists to influence 'debate'. We need to call for a small population and ignore the government and the incumbent parties until they also do this.

Peter Bright

Wed, 2010-03-17 07:34

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Population target survey

Should the Government commission a population target inquiry? http://www.abc.net.au/thedrum/polls/

Anonymous (not verified)

Wed, 2010-03-17 23:27

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Anna Bligh disgracefully misleading on population & economy

The entry questionnaire to Premier Bligh's 'Growth Summit' is ridiculous. One question is, "Would you rather have a growing population and a stronger economy, or would you rather stabilise the population and have a weaker economy?" Sheila Newman writes in "Cost of housing and cost of dependency in Australia", "The sector in Australia that has the most costly dependency ratio must be the property sector, since it costs all Australians an enormous and unreasonable amount just to cover the cost of land for housing, business and agriculture. Most of the very high costs involved are completely unnecessary, except in the eyes of greedy developers and their hangers-on. The only reason that the costs are so high is that the industry wants it that way and our state and federal governments are in cahoots with it." Without those costs we could have a strong economy. It is the population growth and the industries that feed off it which are driving poverty and making our economy weak. Bligh's questionnaire is impossible for intelligent and honest people to answer. She should be thrown out of government for this alone.

Vivienne (not verified)

Wed, 2010-03-17 07:06

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Beware of Tony Abbott

According to Tony Abbot, he wants to see "as many people as possible" in Australia. He will not promise to halve the number of homeless in Australia, and some 200,000 are reported to sleep out each night in our cities and over 104,000 are homeless. Sydney has recorded a 22 per cent increase in those sleeping rough. Last month his comments that some people are homeless "by choice" drew criticism from welfare groups. Having been raised in comfortable circumstances, and being protected by his own status and wealth, clearly Tony Abbott, despite his church teachings, has no compassion for those less well off! We don't lack housing in Australia, but what we have is too many people. Few people link our massive increase in immigration with the displacement of the vulnerable in our society and the situation can only get worse. Kevin Rudd's commitment to "social housing" is his effort to enforce his agenda of high-density housing, not stop the cause - malignant population growth. TONY Abbott said he wants to throw open the doors to more migrants to build a bigger population. "My instinct is to extend to as many people as possible the freedom and benefits of life in Australia," he told an Australia Day dinner in Hawthorn. So our natural resources and social capital will just expand and deliver, according to Abbott! It is about time our leaders listened to the people of Australia, and those who are not so experienced with the "freedoms and benefits" of living in Australia.

Tree (not verified)

Thu, 2010-03-18 12:35

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Bob Brown doesn't sound serious on population reform - ABC

Bob Brown was on ABC Radio National Breakfast program this morning. He was given a 9 minute slot for an interview, which is pretty good. I listened to it attentively, knowing he had made remarks about the population issue the day before. He focussed on maternity payments, and Rudd's health plan. Fran Kelly then gave him a great opening to speak about his population statement: Fran Kelly: (at 6 min 26 sec) http://www.abc.net.au/rn/breakfast/stories/2010/2845587.htm "I've noticed you have called for a national inquiry into the national population. I wonder if a discussion of a policy like this should be a part of that [maternity payments plan] we shouldn't move to far too fast before we have some kind national inquiry into population because as Tony Abbot says when he announced his policy plan [maternity payments plan] it is about supporting an encouraging Australian women to have more children." Bob Brown then answered the question and spoke purely about maternity / paternity payments for 1 minute 14 seconds. I think his heart is not into any serious population policy of the type Kelvin Thomson has proposed. The call for a population inquiry is purely to placate green voters and members that have been vocal on the issue. You would think that he would have spoken more to the point addressing immigration rather than the details of the length of time and amount of payments mothers will get after having a baby. A politician of his calibre should certainly have some practiced talking points at the ready for such questions, but Bob Brown didn't go there. I get the feeling that the greens in the various parliaments around Australia have received a lot of of feedback by voters and members specifically asking to address the population issue, but you have the likes of Bob Brown and Greg Barber both of whom in no way concur with this (both being "watermelon greens"), but will have to if more pressure is bought to bear. Ilan

Greens to put Senate motion for an independent inquiry into population growth

Set population at infrastructure, environment capacity through national inquiry

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Comments

Poll on an inquiry for a population target

Not another enquiry; just need a Small Population Policy

Population target survey

Anna Bligh disgracefully misleading on population & economy

Beware of Tony Abbott

Bob Brown doesn't sound serious on population reform - ABC

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