UPDATE - 20/09/2015
Russell Brand seems to be quite popular among students (either because they love or hate him, either way it provokes discussion!) so I've decided to use this video as an introduction to the population issue in Australia: (warning - contains explicit language).
Here are the revision notes that I give to my students;
WHY HAVE POPULATION POLICIES BEEN INTRODUCED?
Russell Brand seems to be quite popular among students (either because they love or hate him, either way it provokes discussion!) so I've decided to use this video as an introduction to the population issue in Australia: (warning - contains explicit language).
Here are the revision notes that I give to my students;
WHY HAVE POPULATION POLICIES BEEN INTRODUCED?
·
After WW2 the first minister for
immigration, Arthur Calwell, wanted to increase the population to improve
defence and aid development. He believed Australia was underpopulated as
there was a desperate shortage of labour, especially after many people had
been killed in the war.
·
Today, Australia has an ageing
population and thus an increasing dependency ratio, with 13.7% over 65 (but
this is increasing) and birth and fertility rates not high enough to offset
this because women are marrying later (at least 29) and having children later
(at least 30).
·
Australia also loses around 60 000
well-qualified young workers every year as they emigrate overseas and these
need to be replaced or Australia will face labour shortages, especially in its
vineyard and mineral extraction industries which are key drivers behind its
economic prosperity.
·
The government takes Boserup's view
that immigration drives economic growth, supplies young skilled workers to
offset and support the ageing population, increases size of markets.
WHAT POLICIES HAVE
BEEN INTRODUCED?
·
The first immigration policy was
introduced in 1945 with the slogan 'populate or perish' and included the 'Ten
Pound Poms' scheme in which families (mainly from UK) could migrate to
Australia for only £10.
·
The government also reached an
agreement with the International Refugee Organisation to take in 12 000
refugees per year from camps in Europe after WW2.
·
Since the 1970s skills-based
immigration has been encouraged by introducing a points-based skills test.
Prospective immigrants usually have university degrees and speak English, they
fill specific job areas where there are shortages and they are under 30.
·
More recently they have introduced paid
parental leave and baby grants ($5000 per baby in 2009) to increase the fertility
rate through natural change.
WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES OF THESE POLICIES?
·
Although fertility rate is increasing
it is still well below replacement level (1.78)
·
However, population growth rate is 1.3%
per year, meaning the population could double in 40 years. This is high for a
HIC (e.g. 0.28% for the UK). About half of this is down to immigration.
·
Australia's population has increased
from 7 million in the 1940s to nearly 22 million today; this shows that the
policy has been very successful in increasing absolute numbers.
·
However, even though Australia has a
very low population density (only 2.9 people per km2 compared to 256 in the UK)
its natural environment is fragile, many people such as the Sustainable
Population Party think it is becoming overpopulated and causing economic,
social and environmental problems. They say population growth is a 'lazy way
for big businesses to make more profit' and that it will reduce the per capita
value of their mineral reserves. They don't think it will significantly offset
the ageing population but instead create unemployment and overload the
healthcare system.
·
Water supply is a major issue: rainfall
is unreliable, evaporation rates are very high (94% of rainfall evaporates),
groundwater is limited and ancient stores are being used up rapidly.
·
Rural areas have suffered prolonged
droughts, which has been tackled with the Snowy Mountains Scheme: a series of
dams and reservoirs in New South Wales and Victoria which provides irrigation
for 60% of Australia. This, like any hard engineering scheme has negative
implications for the local environment.
Discussion point: Do you think Australia should aim
for 40milion or stop at 26?
Sources:
http://www.populationparty.org.au/Questions-Answers