Cornflower - have a look here: http://greens.org.au/node/792

<< Australia must contribute to achieving a globally sustainable population. >>

<< Australia’s population policy should be determined by its commitment to:

ecological sustainability;
both global and domestic social justice and equity;
intergenerational equity;
multiculturalism;
international human rights obligations; and
decent wages and conditions for all workers. >> Etc etc.

Yes, too general I agree, but at least the commitment to sustainability is there, unlike other mainstream parties. The Greens are the only mainstream political party arguing against the "Big Australia" fantasies of the Laberals.

<< It is all waffle and hot air, right? >>

Yes, that's what your spray seems to be.

C J Morgan

What 'proof' is that? It just more of the trademark personal insults you have gained notoriety for on OLO and the usual general bumpf words, nothing practical and certainly nothing specific on any proposed action, from the Greens.

Any number of the vague aims are competitive and one would think that the Greens would feel obliged to at least offer some definitions and give some weight one way of the other.

As a first cut on the butchers paper by Year 8 students, yes fine, but it really isn't much to go on from a political party is it?

"Ludwig. Come on old fella, be realistic. The Greens will not continue any sustainable or population/migration debate, except for this one statement by Brown."

Ah Banjo, you just want to spoil my fun. I want to hope for a political reality that is in line with a healthy future, rather than one that will steer us towards a major collapse of the quality of life that we take for granted.

"At present you are having false hopes."

I want to live in the real world and hope for a sustainable future at the same time. But alas, I fear that you are right. It is indeed a false hope (:>(

However, as idealistic and dreamy as it may be, I'm gunna continue urging Brownie and Greenies and Turnbully and the Libbies to turn away from their rampant antisustainability preudogreenery and Krudd-imititationary fartarsery and towards a political paradigm of sensible sustainability.

So there!

"That is just the usual Bob Brown political opportunism and grandstanding - all B.S. - which is NOT reflected in the policies, general and rubbery as they are, of the Greens."

Cornflower, I wouldn't put it quite that strongly. I'll give old Bob a bit more credence than that, as being someone with a genuine desire to do the right thing as he sees it and not just a political cock swinging in the breeze!

The main problem with the Greens is that they don't observe their own policies, when it comes to sustainability, and hence to population growth. Bob Brown's biggest flaw, as their leader, is to allow this to happen.

His comments to date are at least heading in the right diection, but they are far too rudimentary and gentle, in relation to the urgent attention that this issue requires.

I'll just point out that Cornflower is the only commenter thus far in this this thread who's tried to derail the discussion with personal invective. "Waffle and hot air" were her words, not mine.

The fact remains that the Greens are the only mainstream political party to have a policy that addresses population sustainability in Australia - albeit too generally, I agree - and their spokepeople have been the only Australian politicians to speak out publicly against Rudd's vision of a "Big Australia".

C J Morgan

More insults from the master! Good one, C.J.

A policy is more than vague, undefined words. What precisely does 'population sustainability mean'? What are the practical consequences for immigration or for women who would like to have children at a future date?

What is the maximum sustainable population, when should it be achieved and how?