"So the truth is being crushed by the anti density zealots on one side and pro-density zealots on the other, while the evidence itself is infrequently consulted, if at all."

And of course this entire article is evidence for the fact that population growth - which is the driver of these infrastuctural problems and demand for housing - is the CORE PROBLEM. Why not stop growing the population so that we do not need to provide ever more food, electricity, and transport? That would bring down housing prices and give our own children the chance of future home-ownership.

You can't grow forever in a finite system and the enviromental and resource problems we are seeing are evidence that were are reaching (beyond actually) the limits of the Earth to support us.

All the people in the world can stand on Tasmania at the same time.

Yes undidly, but where will you grow their food while they are standing there?

A well written article, but I believe that Ross misses the point as the real issue - urban sprawl and increased densities - in that both will have a detrimental impact on the environment and the living standards in the major capital cities.

The government's cumulative high immigration policy is a recipe for economic, social and environmental disaster. What are economic benefits from immigration in an economic environment where Australia's main economic exports are from mining and agriculture? In respect to the urban environment, unfortunately the easy cost effective options for urban growth are long gone - flat cleared land without environmental values serviced by infrastructure that has spare capacity.

The growth via immigration is merely a cost shifting exercise by the Federal Government to increase tax payers and taxes, with the States and the general community picking up the cost of providing more infrastructure and declining living standards, services and urban environment.

If Australia were entirely made up of green rolling hills, forests and permanent rivers and with adequate rainfall we would see a number of larger inland cities. Urban sprawl is a problem because there is some point where even best practice infrastructure no longer does the job adequately.

High density living has not worked in some cities including the UK where there are huge enclaves of socially disadvantaged groups. NY is made out to be the success story of HD living but only if you live in the trendy upmarket areas. Those living in poorer ghetto situations might disagree.

I cannot see any situation where overcrowding and congestion is a good thing. Busy can be interesting and exciting but chaos is not.

Urban sprawl encroaches more and more into bushland and arable land - that is the issue for Australia. We cannot keep damming barely running rivers to ensure water security. We could desalinate but why? It only increases pollution and makes more demand on energy sources.

Run Logan Run.....