Divergence,

mate, maaaate. Peak land? What in the fruit loop are you talking about? Peak land re the first Irish Famine? Hutus? Rwanda? You've been reading Diamond again. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, read widely. Your sociological interpretation of history is embarrassing. But I will, if I may, use that. Peak land. Pure gold.

Are you making some sort of Dada type statement?

Case closed that Malcolm King aka Cheryl is a troll. Waste no time debating with him.

Hi Livio,

Might I suggest that Malcolm posts as he does because he sees no argument, let alone people engaging in one. While I remain skeptical of the benefit of a high immigration rate, I think that radical policy changes are a mark of reckless governance. Sudden change can have undesirable effects which may prejudice opinion against a good idea.

The Australian unemployment figure is approx 800,000 and rising. Why are the 457 visas even being considered to continue?
They and the massive migration numbers are only in existence because of the obeisance to big business from the lib/labs .
First scrap all political donations above a small amount. This of course to stop purchase of party favours.
Then gradually over a period of a year or so reduce migration and then scrap 567 visas altogether.
We will still have unemployment but it will be considerably reduced.
I might add that add that voting for the Sustainable Population party would be a big step in the right direction.
All of our problems stem from one source overpopulation.

Fester,

I don't speak for the Stable Population Party, but I believe it would be recognized that we couldn't immediately slam on the brakes. It would have to be made clear to the business lobby, though, that the party is nearly over, that they will have to start hiring locals and training again. Immigration would be progressively reduced down to zero net, as they essentially had in the US between 1921 and 1965. Some industries would need to be redeployed. For example, the construction industry could start attacking our $770 billion infrastructure backlog (according to Infrastructure Australia). The economist Richard Denniss has some good things to say about the infrastructure issue.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/solution-to-asylum-seekers-find-the-real-problem-20130426-2ik3t.html

An excellent article Jenny
As an engineer, I can testify that unless you address the underlying cause, in this case over population and over consumption, one can never solve the problems. Is truly staggering how many of our social and environmental problems are exacerbated by a growing population. 4 degrees as a limit is madness too. The ice is melting now and will only accelerate as temperature rises. This is schoolyard physics. We are past the tipping point but not the Point of No Return (PNR). However the if the population does not stabilise very soon we will pass the PNR and we and most species are doomed. What will our struggling grandchildren say about our excess and our failure to act in the face of so much quality scientific evidence?
Graham Wood