What is Australia's sustainable population?

Friday, 24 November 2000

Sustainable agriculture, sustainable development...sustainability... it has become almost a cliché in the past few years and, through it all, the terrifying trend line of the world's population climbs relentlessly upwards.

Just how to accommodate ecological sustainability with the economic growth required to provide jobs, living space and other
resources for our growing numbers is a major challenge, with different and often opposing views coming from the ranks of conservationists, business leaders and more.

It will be a pervading theme in the Conference of the Australian Population Association, being held in Melbourne from November 29th to December 1st at Rydges Riverwalk Hotel. Entitled 'Population and Globalisation: Australia in the 21st Century', the conference will bring together some impressive speakers.

The keynote address, 'Green growth: an oxymoron?' will be given by Professor Paul Ehrlich, whose apocalyptic book, 'The Population Bomb', prompted worldwide consciousness of the population problem more than 30 years ago.

Professor Ehrlich will be joined on the platform by Tim Flannery, Director of the SA Museum, Professor at Adelaide University, and one of the leading scientific authors on the subject of Australia's population and ecological sustainability. Professor Flannery will discuss 'The policy phobia: Why Australian politicians seem to back away from a population policy.'

Professor Ehrlich will also address a Business Breakfast at the Grand Hyatt (7:15 am for 7:30 am, Thursday 30th). He will speak on 'Business: last hope for the Environment.'

Professor Graeme Hugo will speak in the Immigration plenary. The title of his paper is "Asia in the Twenty-First Century: Implications for Australian immigration". He will also chair the Minister's address.

APA's President, Dr Martin Bell, will give the President's address, entitled 'Data, theory and method: measuring permanent and temporary mobility in Australia.' Dr Bell will also chair a special forum on 'Demography and the New Economy.'

Other sessions will cover Population policy; Australia: Greenhouse champion or international pariah?; and Population growth and environmental limits in Australia.

The Minister for Immigration, Philip Ruddock, will close the conference on Friday December 1st with an address entitled 'A
sustainable population future for Australia: economic, environmental and demographic perspectives.'

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