Population
Congratulations on your centre spread on population (GL 29/5). The green and left movements have an unfortunate tradition of trying to ignore the issue as concern about population has been regarded as an excuse by the rich to explain poverty and blame the poor for their predicament. It is true that population pressure is used to divert attention from injustice, but this does not alter the fact that population size is a fundamental factor in shaping our economic and environmental future.
Socialists have been concerned only about how to share out the economic/resource cake fairly. There are other questions of equal importance: How many people need a share? How much should we leave for future generations? How much should we leave for non-human species? Capitalism cannot provide rational answers as it is motivated by short term profit. The answers must be provided by those with a commitment to ecology and long term planning — the green left.
Population concerns also apply to Australia.
l Australia has the highest population growth rate in the developed world and the highest per capita migrant intake.
l Australia has the highest rate of environmental destruction in the world as measured by indicators such as loss of species — this suggests our dry, fragile continent is already vastly overpopulated.0>
l Resources to provide one immigrant with an Australian standard of living could alleviate hunger and misery of hundreds in the third world.0>
l Skilled immigration — the largest component — deprives the source countries of skilled workers and deprives those already in Australia of the opportunity to gain skills by training here.
l The most recent migrants will be most disadvantaged by continued migration, as subsequent migrants will tend to compete for the same jobs and housing.
The moral, economic and environmental issues involved require much more discussion. It would be good to see such discussion of Australian population/immigration issues in the Green Left.
David Kaulr
Townsville
[Edited for length.]