JULIA Gillard has just had the gall to say that Australia will continue to run "a sizeable immigration program" as she steers the nation towards a population of more than 40 million by 2050.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/immigration/sizeable-immigration-key-to-economic-growth-says-gillard/story-fn9hm1gu-1226612567741

"I think what you've got to do is manage your migration program in line with your nation's needs”, she said.

So why on Earth isn’t she doing this, by progressively winding it back to a much lower level??

Gillard, who said three years ago that she believes in a sustainable Australia not a big Australia, has hereby destroyed the last vestiges of any credibility that she might have had, by driving Australia directly and strongly towards a big Australia.

The simple act of lowering immigration by a significant amount would have given on her a lot of support, and if coupled with a concerted effort to espouse a sustainable Australia, could well have saved Labor’s bacon and won them the forthcoming election.

But no! Labor has now definitely sunk to an absolutely irrecoverable level…. and condemned the country to the ongoing madness of endless continuous growth.

Congratulations Julia. You have comprehensively turfed your mate Kevin out of the esteemed position of Australia’s worst-ever PM!

Find me Ludwig, a party ever likely to rule this country, that has not got the same policy.
Then look at every attempt to change to cleaner more sustainable fuels.
You can not win, not yet, big money owns our future.
Understand, even agree with your views but we are few dash for cash rules still.
Rest, soon Gillard will be gone, then watch Abbott do the very same thing.

Ludwig,
Get it into your head! The two major parties are in the pocket of big business, so both will have a high immigration policy. "He who pays the piper calls the tune".

Surely I do not have to explain to you why big business want high immigration.

There has been only one party that advocated 'zero nett immigration' and the two majors colluded to stop them. Even Katters party is talking about 50 million people in north Aus.

Untill people wake up and realise that we cannot aford the infastructure for big population and immigration is driving house prices well beyond what ordinary people can afford, we will continue to have high immigration. Not to mention how long it takes to get to and from work and the queues are longer for everything. Hey, it sells more consumer goods! Just import more.

Ludwig, the other day you were saying that Labor could improve their woeful fortunes by offering themselves as the party of sustainability.

Putting aside any question of this actually meaning anything sensible in the first place, I thought to myself, why would anyone believe a word they say? Would Ludwig actually be gullible enough to vote for them just because they promised "sustainability"? It looks like he would! But do you think they wouldn't lie through their teeth just to get your vote? And look at their record! Look at what they've just spent the last 6 years blowing billions of dollars on! How could anyone possibly square that with an ethic of sustainability?

So I'm glad Gillard has burst your bubble, even if the truth hurts.

Not that I think the Liberals are any more trustworthy mind you.

Each election it's the same. The population groan for relief from the pack of power-hungry lying sociopaths they have ruling over them - and vote in the other pack of power-hungry lying sociopaths! It's like some kind of neurosis.

That's just emotional rhetoric, Banjo.

>>...we cannot aford the infastructure for big population and immigration is driving house prices well beyond what ordinary people can afford<<

As I keep pointing out to Ludwig, we have coped in the past, with our GDP growing consistently faster than our population, and this will continue to be the case.

On what evidence do you link immigration to rising house prices? I wouldn't be dumb enough to suggest that immigration alone is the cause of our increasing GDP per capita. In the same way, you cannot rationally propose that immigration alone is the cause of rising house prices. Far more likely, is the fact that our increasing wealth drives greater competition in the house market, as we simultaneously look for better housing, and for opportunities to invest in property. Our being better off is the cause, house price increases would then be the natural effect.

And the fact that people still keep buying houses, clearly demonstrates they can "afford" them. The price reflects normal supply and demand economics.

While it is true that we in NSW have crap infrastructure, that is largely due to decades of fiscal mismanagement, political paralysis and sheer laziness of successive governments. We happily spend on tokenist activities such as the soon-to-be-demolished monorail and half-hearted attempts at urban light rail systems, while avoiding key issues such as a second airport and high-speed intercity rail.

Continued population growth is probably the only way we will ever get governments to act on such matters - it will never be quite enough, and will inevitably be decades late, but still sufficient to keep not-too-far-behind our needs.

Ludwig>>Labor has now definitely sunk to an absolutely irrecoverable level<<

Luddy as I read your words I smile with reminiscence…I had often thought exactly that as the failure upon failure built….but unfailingly they fail again in an astounding fashion a month later. I reached the point where nothing astounded me any more when Gillard said that she did not knife Kev and people bought it.

Luddy I put this youtube on another thread to Lexi, but it’s appropriate. See how Hawke reacts to being accused of knifing Hayden. Bob is so convincing in his portrayal of indignation and moral injury at the accusation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRz06GrF-1I