“How many is too many? Australia’s people problem”, SMH, 19/2. A Sydney businessman named William Bourke is, like Dick Smith (see 26/1/2010 entry), concerned with overpopulation, to the point where he says he is launching a population-focused political party, named the Stable Population Party of Australia (some details at this entry in the PublicPopForum; they have an as-yet-unused site registered).
“Grey expectations not nearly as alarming as climate change”, The Age, 3/2. Criticism of the alarmist hype made by some politicians about Australia’s ageing population.
But even the remaining 40 per cent of the increase can’t be attributed to ageing. It includes allowance for the expected growth in the population from 22 million to 36 million. Obviously, 14 million extra people means (greatly) increased spending on healthcare, but this has nothing to do with older people’s increased need for healthcare purely because they’ve got older.
36 million is not inevitable! Such a population increase can be prevented if politicians have the will too (which none currently in power do).
