"First off, what massive demographic change? Our two biggest sources of immigrants remain the UK and New Zealand, two nations which have very similar cultures to our own."

Immigrants from the UK and New Zealand comprise less than a third of our annual immigration intake. The rest are from non-Western countries. In fact, the real intake levels are perhaps much higher considering the large number of foreign students using our education institutions as visa factories.

Australia's population is set to grow to 26 million by 2030 and 29 million by 2050. Yet, Australia's total fertility rate is below replacement levels. All net population growth occuring today is almost exclusively due to ongoing, historically unprecedented levels of immigration. This means that, while Australia's native-born population will continue to shrink in both absolute and relative terms, the immigrant population will grow by leaps and bounds in the coming decades.

In fact, not a single Western country has a fertility rate that will enable it to survive in its present form through this century. For example, it is predicted that Americans of European ancestry will become a minority in their country by 2050. I think it's fair to say that Australia won't be far behind in mirroring that trend.

James Purser

I'm not saying change does not happen, I said it is caused. You agree that the causes can be guided. Good... we are on the same page.

But telling me to read history ? c'mon.. I am a history buff. That is WHY say it doesn't just 'happen' it is allowed or controlled or pushed.
It can happen in 2 ways... "by default" when governments don't actually do anything to guide it, and "by design" where they do something.

Demographic Change. UK it would be interesting to note the various ethnicities coming from UK because a casual trip from Vermont South into Melbourne by tram will show its a matter of 'spot the caucasian' among the sea of Indians. I don't have figures, but I'd guess there are a lot of non caucasians among those from the UK, and quite possibly many of the Islamic faith.

Neither of those things are of major concern apart from where they may become over-represented, or..where the perctages arriving can alter our existing demographic balance in ways unexpected.

James..I've seen 'migrants' used as political pawns in other places, all depended on who was chief minister, and which religion he was.
They ensured that 'immigration' policy was more friendly to their mob.

You only need to have lived through political/religious/race riots to realize 'why' they do that.

POLICY is the key to controlling change.

"1. Australia has a "culture", no need for "multi" "culturalism".
2. What is Australian culture? Answer: "Multiculturalism".
3. Conclusion: We do not need "multi" "Multiculturalism".
Anyone who is not happy with "Multiculturalism" , is not happy with Australian culture.
Can we "change" the "culture"?
Posted by P_Dox, Thursday, 9 August 2007 5:35:53 PM"

ABSOLUTE BULL-EYE!! I understand exactly what you mean.

Your last line? NO! And we should consider that a positive.

James wrote “Our two biggest sources of immigrants remain the UK and New Zealand, two nations which have very similar cultures to our own”. The very fact that their cultures are similar means that they assimilate, unlike those immigrants who drag their mediaeval cultures here with them and push to have it part of normal Australian life.

The Romans did were not a southern med race. They lived on the north of the Mediterranean. The south of the med is Africa. They were of Indo-European stock before they started allowing mixing with southern med types. The Celts were also of Indo-European stock, being closely related to the Italics (ancestors of the Romans). Also, Germanic, Slav, Baltic and Indo-Iranian types were all Indo-European. This has all been proved by linguistics and genetics.

Mariah, how can I reply to that!!??
If I’m ‘pretty rude and stupid’, am I at least articulate and literate? If it’s ‘shocking rascist (racist) talk’ to use the ‘W’ word, do you protest when the media continually use the term ‘Pomm’? Do you hate the comedy movie, ‘The Wog Boy’?
As you would prefer to have ‘ colour of the skin’ that might explain the quality of your posting as you certainly seem to have the intellectual equivalent.
When you wrote, ‘you dont(don't)sound like an Aussie to me’, weren’t you being rascist…oops I meant racist?

"............mixing with the lesser races.....

......the so-called Christian all-men-are-the-same preachings." (Quote: JSP1488)

EXCUSE ME??..'lesser' races!! Who says?

Christian all-men-are-the-same? WOT'? Are you blind?? Not on OLO they're not!

p_dox and Ginz,

What rot you blokes talk! Australia has never been Multicultural let alone our culture being multicultural.

We have been multi-racial, at least since 1788, but the basic or core parts of our culture have come from British origin and thankfully still remain. Our laws and Governance, defence, courts, social standards, civic institutions, language, dress, transport, town planning and even road rules all are derived from Britian. Certainly some changes have naturally evolved but the core elements remain.

If you want to talk multiculturalism try a country like India where there are different laws for different groups of people. I have never met a true multiculturalist yet where they are willing to allow all cultures live without any restrictions. All people here can choose any religion or none and eat various national foods but that does not make us multicultural.

All people here have to obey our laws and social standards that we set.

There are many aspects of other cultures that are not permitted here. For example, polygamy, arranged marriages, child marriages, age of consent,female circumcission, inequality of women,firearms laws, slavery, some foods, honour or revenge killings, incest, cockfights and bullfights, to name a few. Some of the above are important part of some cultures so to claim we are multicultural is a furphy.

For the last 30 odd years we have had imposed on us a thing called multiculturalism which has in fact simply been the promotion of foreign nationals at our expense. This has divided our nation into groups along ethnic lines. Thankfully both the Government and Opposition have seen the error of this and are now promoting integration to bring about more cohesion in the community.