I do not think New Zealand is much different Jewerly and OUG the world never was or will be one.
Can this dry country continue to grow forever.
My answer no, we do not have the water or the arable land.
Is open door acceptance of refugees in this country's best interests.
Both party's in the long run let more boat people in than they returned.
My view NO and watch the arrivals grow not shrink as food crisis grows.
Is it wise to let some who do not find work for years come as migrants or refugees?
At what cost to our welfare system.
Why do we, and we are you know,sending Irish South African and great Britain 457 workers with skills we need home.
If we can drop the bleeding heart cuddle a poor man thing, how much are we paying in Social welfare to recent or past refugees?
Could you, me anyone be a refugee on the Continent most are coming from?
With welfare and right to practice your religion?
Be honest now.

Belly,

I dont see how you can divorce a population discussion from politics.

There is evidence to suggest that the world's human population would be stable were contraception made accessible to all who wanted it. No coercion, just people having a choice.

Governments, in contrast, seem obsessed with growing populations. In poorly developed nations a ready supply of slaves is created by denying the population access to contraception. In developed nations governments cannot deny contraception, so instead engage in immigration and a hard sell of the great need for population growth.

In essence, population growth is due to government policy.

Bellybabe:”I do not think New Zealand is much different”

Different from what?

“Earth has approximately 6,910,000,000 human inhabitants as of April 25, 2011. Projections indicate that the world's human population will reach 7 billion in early 2012 and 9.2 billion in 2050. Most of the growth is expected to take place in developing nations. Human population density varies widely around the world, but a majority live in Asia. By 2020, 60% of the world's population is expected to be living in urban, rather than rural, areas. “

NZ pop: _4,315,800. Land size km2: _,270,534. Arable land 5.54%
Oz Pop: 22,702,576. Land size km2: 7,682,300. Arable land 6.15%

What I don’t get is the permanent crop things between NZ and Oz; NZ: 18,547 km2 permanent crops and Oz: 3,047 km2 permanent crop. Typo you reckon?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_use_statistics_by_country
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth#Natural_resources_and_land_use

“Can this dry country continue to grow forever.”

I think your green bits are actually quite big. I read a lot awhile ago about how many Aussies don’t think so – some collective conscious thing about the ‘red centre’.

“At what cost to our welfare system.”

No idea but I’ve seen many examples of where millions upon millions continue to be wasted. Really seems to be about better management here.

“Could you, me anyone be a refugee on the Continent most are coming from?”

The question would be if we had to there would be no choice but to do it or shrivel up and die. Besides most of them go to Pakistan and I didn’t think that was much of a tourist spot.

“With welfare and right to practice your religion?”

I’m going to invent my own religion and Aussie better well support my right to practice it within the law and the only good laws are ones that are not created for the benefit of any religions.

I am a bit surprised that Ludwig has not posted yet.

Three subjects here that each could take up a page, so where to start with an abreviated opinion.I take it that we are talking about Aus.

Population: It is high time we forced the political parties to put forward their policies on population. We should have some idea as to where we are going and what each party sees as a goal.

I don't know if we can have a sustainable population. Have a look in the markets now and see just how much food we import. Should not have to, but we do. Try to find our tinned fruit (there is a couple) or our tinned ham. I know of butchers that import vacume packed beef (rumps and loins) from NZ.

Immigration: We should reduce immigration to net zero, so about the same numbers come as go. Our infastructure cannot keep up. It is not only water but everything. Our cities are choking on cars and public transport is a joke. Immigration has pushed up the price of homes and the price of building blocks is prohibative.

If we need skilled labour, we should train our own. What right have we to poach the skilled from other countries that need them more than we do. Immigration is a cheap way out for business to get workers.

Refugees: Stop the boats as was done previously, by not giving any permanent residence or at least deny them the right to bring out the rest of their family. If they don't get what they want they will stop coming. Where is the humanity in encouraging 200 to drown enroute.

These people are illegal entrants. We do not detain those that enter legally. They are frauds and con artists who get here by deceit and then deceive us. Honest people come in the front, not jump the back fence. If they had a decent case they would come legally and not pay smugglers far more than the air fare. The boat people are shonksters.

Yes Banjo I would like to see Ludwig post,he is not fond of me but understands this subject.
Let me explain ,I think your and others views it can not be isolated from politics is true.
But am convinced it will become a very big issue world wide, and soon politicians will talk about it.
And that we all, should say what we think, the debate is being controlled by minority's.
Very vocal ones.
Here I go,racism again, ask our extreme Lefty's,
Newspaper story this morning, a young Muslim movie star has in Germany her home, been a centerfold for play boy.
Germany has a fairly big population of Muslims.
And a recent history of honor killings.;
This young woman, proud of her, said she did it to break away from a life of confinement, and has been threatened with?
DEATH.
We are not to talk of this not to express concerns not to ask how many generations will it take if ever, for our cultures to mix.
Why is it wrong to be afraid,to ask why us, why increase population so fast.
And industries say, probably if we look at the whole world and its migrant workers,they need them
OK probably true, but at what point do we protect our future?
Jewerly just referring to your kick up the you know what for us.
And mate! if only! if only no religions existed.
What a great place the world could be, if humanity could be one without superstitions crafted to keep us apart and uninformed.

The population of Australia as could indeed any country's, could get a lot bigger. What doesn't get bigger is the quality of life that comes with bigger population. I say let the idiot growth proponents go to Bangladesh or India or any other densely populated place & let them live their dream of exploiting the masses there. Minimum stay 10 years then they can come back again. You never know it might open up a whole new fashion industry for hiding the tail between the legs.
As far as refugees are concerned we'd be much better off to send them wheel barrows & shovels etc so that they can make things better for themselves rather than making things worse for the country which is forced to take them in.