Many well-known and respected names such as Dick Smith AO, economist Leith van Onselen and Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe, have joined over twelve thousand Australians to sign a position statement calling for the stabilisation of Australia's population.
Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) National President, Peter Strachan, said the Position Statement went public in the last few months and is attracting huge interest. It is on-going and is now the prime tool people can use to show how they feel about excessive population growth.
Mr Strachan said, "Australians see no benefit to their quality of life following Australia's 8.2 million or 43% population growth since the year 2000."
"Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that Australia's population is expanding by an eye-watering 13,148 per week, with only 2,413 arising from births minus deaths. At this pace of growth 4,200 additional dwellings are required each week, but the number completed is about 1000 less than needed."
"SPA takes the position that there is a fundamental conflict between population growth and protection of the environment, a viable economy, and the health and well-being of our people" said Mr Strachan.
"SPA's petition puts out a call to say 'No' to a Big Australia and 'Yes' to an Australia where everyone can afford a place to live, where children can find a classroom to study and where the environment is not continually being degraded by population expansion."
Mr Strachan said, "Australians are sick of having the population debate shut down as racist or anti-migrant when their concern is about the numbers. Survey after survey clearly shows most Australians want population growth to stop. However, mature debate on population is stymied, not only by politicians but also by mainstream media pandering to real estate advertisers and counterintuitively, by many environmental organisations.
"The incredible response to SPA's Position Statement shows people want their voices to be heard. They are concerned about a sustainable future for their families, and are ready to stand up and be counted."
SPA also encourages people to email their MP and federal ministers to voice their concerns about high population growth. Many hundreds of Australians have answered this call.
Mr Strachan said, "Population policy is shaping up as THE main election issue for the 2025 federal election. SPA is calling for policies that would see population stabilisation below 30 million. This would support better availability of housing and social infrastructure.
"The economic justifications for high immigration have not lived up to their promise over the past two decades, and need to be reassessed. In particular, Treasury's myopic focus on GDP expansion at the expense of falling GDP per capita, rising inequality and homelessness, and ongoing environmental damage, is not serving Australia's interests."
"It is absolutely absurd that the Albanese government is willing to see more hardworking Australians become homeless in order to import so-called skilled workers who never get skilled jobs" said Mr Strachan.
SPA declares it is best placed to provide economic and ecological support for those who want the dangers around population growth explained without any racial or other baggage.
"We analyse population on the basis of numbers pointing to economic & ecological outcomes" said Mr Strachan. "This year is a critical time for the Australian people and our natural environment."
You can add your signature to the SPA position statement HERE
"Say NO to a Big Australia!" campaign
Key Facts:
12,800 people have signed a position statement calling to stabilise Australia's population, with nearly 1,000 signatures per week.
Noteable signatories include Australian of the Year Dick Smith, Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe and Leith van Onselen.
Nearly 600 people have sent emails to their Federal MP and Housing Minister Julie Collins to voice their concerns about population growth.
The position statement is part of Sustainable Population Australia's 'Say NO to a Big Australia!' campaign, which calls for policies that would see Australia's population to stabilise below 30 million.
SPA believes that population policy will be THE main election issue for the 2025 federal election. This campaign demonstrated that the Australian people are supportive of SPA's postion on the issues of population and immigration.
About us:
SPA is an independent not-for-profit organisation seeking to protect the environment and our quality of life by ending population growth in Australia and globally, while rejecting racism and involuntary population control. SPA is an environmental advocacy organisation, not a political party.
