"All the evidence suggests that we must turn around population
growth and aim for a much smaller population than we have
today." - Foxy

Thank you; I agree 100%

Yuyutsu pointed out that many of our jobs contribute nothing to our well-being. In fact advertising creates desire for goods that aren't needed. People are employed to make these goods that aren't needed. Pollution and waste accompany those activities which are a net loss. Pay the advertising men to leave their jobs. Some of them want to write books anyway. Give a bonus to married couples who have their fifteenth anniversary without producing young.

Inflation is caused by too many people chasing too few goods. Many wars are caused by too many people chasing too few resources. Encourage people to enjoy pasttimes that expand the mind, be one with nature and involve simple pleasures such as friendship and conversation. Encourage all forms of sex which involve neither violence nor reproduction nor coercion.

Fox, "All the evidence suggests that we must turn around population
growth and aim for a much smaller population than we have
today"

The population growth, in fact over-growth, is coming from immigration.

What should be the maximum number of migrants per annum, including that 20,000 you have already given a pass to?

As usual Foxy and david f make complete sense. The question of population levels and immigration are complex, and many studies have been undertaken over the years without anyone producing a definitive answer. As a participant in the global economy it is too simplistic to thick Australia can simply turn immigration on at off at a whim. Like most Australians I want to see a sustainable population that gives the best possible living standard for all.
With the world population growing exponentially it is unrealistic to think Australia can act on such a global question, as population levels and immigration in isolation, I do not believe we can.

Paul1405,

Yours and Fox's agreement with david f is only superficial. You don't really come to terms at all with the limitations of Australia's soils and rainfall, or lack of it.

Weren't you and Fox all for Australia sending naval vessels to 'rescue' economic migrants over 6,000km away on the Indian continent? Others were rightly saying that the country at fault and its neighbours should be encouraged by the UN to fix the longstanding problems.

The Australian taxpayer cannot be held accountable for the unwillingness and refusal of other countries, particularly in far flung regions of the world, to take responsibility. Nor should the thousands of opportunist young men be allowed to flee accountability for the totalitarian creeds such as Islam that the themselves have benefited from and would introduce in countries kind and foolish enough to bow to their emotional blackmail.

Now what about you and Fox say what immigration in total there should be, numbers please, for 2015 and years to come and what it should be in (say) 5, 10 years from now?

Who pays?

There is a conflict. The social justice issues of the Greens are at odds with the environmental preferences of the Greens. One estimate is that the carbon footprint of the average Australian is 50 times that of the average Bangladeshi. Move a Bangladeshi to Australia where he or she lives the life of the average Australian, and the damage to the environment is much greater. Many Labor, Lib and Green politicians are all blind to this.

PM Howard talked about the Chinese all eventually having the lifestyle of the average Australian. That would make the planet uninhabitable.

Population control, changing individual lifestyle and government measures are all necessary to preserve the planet. As a member of the Greens I have tried to get the Greens to put environmental issues first but have been unsuccessful. At a Green meeting one member even suggested using farmland for dwelling construction.

it would be wonderful if we could offer every refugee refuge, but we should recognise that we can't do it. Abbott worries about the boat people.They are much less a problem than the legal immigration intake.