onthebeach,

When I first arrived in Australia some 43 years ago. The population was primarily of European extraction, and at least one in 3 of the population was born overseas including me. The only difference we have today, is that instead of taking migrants of basically white Europeans extraction, we now take people from any part of the globe provided the meet the current criteria.

The fact is that since the end of the 2nd world war we have embarked on a massive immigrant program. The reason Australia took this course is almost certainly due the fear of being overrun by far more populous nations to our north. Bear in mind Australia was on the brink of being invaded by the Japanese during the 2nd world war. Australia now has a very diverse population, and it is far too late complain about it, the horse has bolted.

Warmair,
The migration programme didn't start until 1949, four years after the defeat of Japan and just at the beginning of the attempted Communist takeover of Asia, so no, populate or perish was just a slogan.
What's more even if a threat from the north were to eventuate only a unified majority European society with the backing of the U.S.A could have withstood it, the domino theory in contrast to populate or perish was a realistic prospect.
The mild resistance against the European migrant was based in ignorance and for the most part unfounded, by the 1980's those tensions, such as they were had eased and multiculturalism was working.
The far more widespread and organised resistance to Asian and particularly Asian and Mid Eastern Muslim immigration is not rooted in ignorance or fear of the unknown, these people are a known quantity and have been for generations. Due to the hostility and aggression of second and third generation Muslims the relationship between Muslim and White Australians has gone from non existent until the late 1990's to overtly hostile since then, to the extent that we have Muslims swearing allegiance to organisations and now an Islamic state which has declared war on Australians.
The widespread fear and distrust of Muslims comes from experience and a clear perception of their ideals, customs and the long term group strategies upon which they operate.

The supporters of illegal immigration just need to get over the fact that they were duped once again by the anti Australian elements of the media into thinking that there were boatloads of little kids floating on the Andaman sea, bereft and abandoned by the world.
The reality is completely different and the revelations grow worse every day:
Mass graves of Rohingya, Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia's forests: report.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/mass-graves-of-rohingya-bangladeshi-migrants-in-malaysias-forests-report-20150524-gh8exe.html
The bleeding hearts just need to realise that what they call "compassion" is really gullibility and their emotions are too easily manipulated by activist journalists, activist lawyers and political operators who use people to further their own agendas and feather their own nests.

warmair,

You didn't address any of the points raised in my post of Saturday, 23 May 2015 10:04:18 PM concerning your hospital example. Since you chose to avoid the issues raised I will leave it there.

The 'populate or perish' policy is past history, long ago. I sincerely hope it is not what is driving immigration policy.

It is much more likely that both sides of government are trapped on the wheel like the proverbial hamster - it simply cannot stop. Both sides of government rely on growth and there has to be more and more population. On the other hand it makes up for lack of planning and (lets face it) lack of ideas. However, growth cannot continue forever.

Immigration is also seen as a way of garnering more votes, particularly in some of those marginal metropolitan seats.

Very wise comment, OTB

The economist Leith van Onselen agrees with you

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2015/05/population-ponzi-choking-us/

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2015/03/7-30-report-big-australia/

You bring in more and more people and then employ them building housing and providing services for more and more people. All such Ponzi schemes come to a bad end. The government is already unable to keep up with infrastructure and public services, and government spending per person is actually falling

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/budget-2015-federal-spending-on-social-services-per-person-to-fall-20150515-gh2i36.html

Nevertheless, it has to be pointed out that the refugee/humanitarian component is very small compared to the total intake. I would be happy to take 10,000 more refugees, provided that they were properly screened, to get 50,000 cut from the total migrant intake, such as by reducing the number of 457 visas that are handed out every year.

Three political theories masquerade as science and are promulgated with a religious fervour that detests dissent, labelling it “denialism”. All prime red herrings deflecting attention from measures that can actually solve major problems.

1. Eugenics – too many other people are getting increasingly feeble-minded, need a cull.
2. Malthusianism – too many other people alive, need a cull.
3. AGW – other people’s living standards too high, need a hair shirt.

Let science speak – actual hard yards of careful study of evidence and open debate – about Malthusianism and its “Neo” variant: For a quick example see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/world-population-forecast-to-peak-before-2100-664281.html.

Here is an interesting scenario, Australia has been drawn into a war by the US because of agreements we have with them.

Now the draft is reintroduced I would put money on most of the 2nd generation Asian, middle Eastern and the welfare for lifers who have been here and taken Australian citizenship would be "nowhere to be found" it would be left up to true Australians.

We could debate what is a true Australian in this scenario but I am sure you know what I mean.