Sustainable Australia better than Big Australia

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s announcement that ecological sustainability, not the idea of a ‘Big Australia’, would be the focus of a national population policy.

“Bigger isn’t always better, so a focus on sustainability will be in Australia’s long-term best interest far more than an arbitrary preference for a large population,” said Chuck Berger, ACF’s Director of Strategic Ideas.

“The crucial challenge for the Government will be how to translate this positive commitment to sustainability into the practical development of Australia’s first-ever national population policy.

“We need to clearly identify ecological, infrastructure and resource constraints at national, regional and local levels and set goals for our society to operate within those constraints.??“A sensible population policy would set clear targets and plans for dramatically reducing greenhouse pollution, improving water and energy efficiency, stabilising the population in the long term and protecting key ecological assets.

“Australia’s rate of population growth is now among the highest in the industrialised world.

“More people means more roads, more urban sprawl, more dams, more power lines, more energy and water use, more pollution in our air and natural environment and more pressure on our animals, plants, rivers, reefs and bush.

“If we want our kids to enjoy the same quality of life we have enjoyed, we should aim to stabilise our population and overall consumption at sustainable levels.”

He said while immigration levels should be set within an ecological context, Australia should also play a stronger role in assisting refugees.

“Australia can continue to accept refugees and accommodate family reunions while reducing overall migration to sustainable levels.’