Assignment one: Article Summary

By Tegan Brinkman (student number 2063231, tutor Kelvin Rodrigues)

23 Aug. 10

In his article ‘one big happy family‘(the weekend Australian, October 31 – November 1, 2009, focus,
p. 11) Bernard salt speaks on the growth projected for Australia, which many think will place
pressure on water, power, jobs and the environment. It is projected in salts article that an increase
of 60% in 40 years (to 2050)will occur, from a 75% increase recorded since 1968, which we were able
to support 40 years ago however in some people’s opinions we now cannot handle this increase
even though it is at a lower rate.

salt quoted Kevin Rudd in saying that we need a bigger Australia for strategic reasons as in the next
60 years it is said that the global population will come to what is termed “peak humanity” at 9.1
billion and salt seems to agree. He also states that it is also in Australia’s best interests to project a
culture of generosity when it comes to migration.

Salt muses whether or not it is wise to say to the world ‘we’d like to accept more migrants however
the concerns of our fragile environment need to come first. So stay in the poverty you are used to
then the people here can maintain their way of life and the quality of the environment’ on the topic
of environment.

Salt also discusses the concern about major cities being unable to cope a jump from the current
population to nearly double it, in the next 60 odd years; many environmentalists believe this will
cause a sprawling effect. However he states that this is not totally correct as modern strategic
planning is set on a principle of densification and a shrinking of residential blocks.

To combat the other issues that salt brings up he suggests that a change in lifestyle will be needed as
the population increases up an estimated 13 million will place pressure on the ability to provided
utilities. By the 2020s salt states that most households will have water tanks and solar panels which
will reduce the draw on common sources.

He also states that petrol will increase forcing, by the mid century, people to find jobs closer to their
residence. This will most likely happen as cities start to regonalise with working, living going to
school shopping and going to the hospital within their own suburbs.

The last issue salt speaks of is how after 2011 baby bombers will exit the workforce, thus Australia
needs an expanded population to keep the tax base stable. Salt suggest in his article to increase the
migration rate, by drawing in 20 something’s that will provide people to go into the workforce right
away. He believes that they will not get sick, they don’t want pensions and they would pay tax for 40
years thus keeping the tax base.

An option that salt also suggests is that generation x and y pay more tax to fund the baby bombers
retirement or for the 4.1 million baby bombers to have less in retirement than that of the 2.1 pre
boomers did. His final thought is that Australia’s focus needs to be on how Australia can best
manage growth and how Australia can mitigate the effects more population will have on the
environment.

Word count: 537