23 million

Everyone gets a smaller slice of the national cake and pays more for it. The arrival of Australia’s 23 millionth person tomorrow is no cause for celebration, according to Sustainable Population Australia (SPA).

Academy of Science said best stop at 23 M

National President of SPA, Ms Jenny Goldie, noted that in 1994 the Australian Academy of Science had said: ‘In our view, the quality of all aspects of our children's lives will be maximized if the population of Australia by the mid-21st Century is kept to the low, stable end of the achievable range, i.e. to approximately 23 million.’[i]

Ms Goldie says: “But we are not stabilising our numbers. We continue to grow at Third World rates, at 1.7% pa.”

Treasurer Ken Henry's concerns

In 2009, then Secretary of Treasury Ken Henry expressed concern about the addition of another 13 million people by mid-century. He said a ‘population expansion of this order has a host of implications for the Australian economy and society; and it raises a number of profound issues for economic policy’.

“Yet if 1.7% continues, there will be even more than Secretary Henry cited. There will be 43 million by mid-century and 100 million by 2100,” says Ms Goldie.

Ken Henry’s comments prompted the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to commission a study[ii] on the impact of different levels of Net Overseas Migration (NOM) on Australia’s physical natural and built environments out to 2050.

DIAC:Higher immigration causes adverse effects

The 2010 DIAC-commissioned study found, amongst many findings

· Higher levels of NOM impose greater adverse impacts on the quality of our natural and built environments (note: NOM to September 30, 2012 was 228,000 pa)

· Decreased urban water supply is a significant environmental constraint exacerbated by higher NOM

· Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are expected to grow to several times current levels by 2050 unless rapid mitigation activities are implemented, and will be significantly higher with higher NOM

· Urban expansion will cause the loss of horticultural production from peri-urban areas which will reduce access to high quality fresh food, especially vegetables, with Sydney being particularly vulnerable.

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