As we used to say when I was in the army, "Bullsh1t baffles brains".

David

Well done Mark for exposing the false and misleading arguments of the growth lobby. Bernard Salt speaks on behalf of those making a quick buck out of population growth - property developers, banks and employers who'd rather import cheap labour than invest in Australians. We are fast running out of natural resources, and polluting the environment on a global scale. Australia has the worst record of species extinction in the world. The most responsible thing we can do for future generations and other species is to stabilise the human population - everywhere.

Australia: “A Sunny Place for Shady People”.

Mark is right to highlight the Salt retraction on this one. But Salt's main problem is that he is assuming a business-as-usual world where we can continue to expand as we have done in the past. Unfortunately, the next 20 years will be radically different from the last 20 years with climate change starting to bite and with oil depleting by maybe 3% a year, sending the price up to unaffordable levels for many economies, including ours. He is irrationally bouyant about our future world where he sees, for instance, that the expiry of the Antarctic Treaty will be a wonderful opportunity to exploit its minerals - never mind that most of us want the Antarctic preserved in its pristine form and used only for peaceful and scientific purposes.

It's all a pity because Salt is basically likeable and I'm sure he has something to contribute to public discussion. I'm not quite sure what it is exactly, because much of what he says is fatuous, albeit often amusing. He just needs some scientific training - maybe about ten years - then he can come back out and spout his wisdom.

A kiddie pool has more depth than any of Salt's theories.

It's a sad day when F-grade 'celebrities' like Mr BS are able to manipulate public debate with their self-serving distortions.

When the growth lobby and LibLabs get together, it's time to replace our elected reps:

Vote 1 Stable Population Party.

...Salt: Stage one of the property spruiker’s re-group, as the “chooks” come home to roost on the oversupplied and crumbling property market!