Survey form on Population beliefs

Dear House of Representatives Candidate,

Please would you answer the following nine questions, to which Sustainable Population Australia is seeking answers from candidates.

To answer a question, just place an X instead of the ? symbol in the appropriate box.

www.population.org.au
Thank you,

Sincerely,

George Carrard

(for NSW Branch of SPA)
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SUSTAINABLE POPULATION AUSTRALIA Questionnaire for candidates in 2010 federal election

Candidate: David Daniel Ball Independent for Blaxland .
Comment: I am a Christian conservative. I note that Queensland has sufficient area to host the current world's population in families of four on quarter acre blocks .. living the Great Australian Dream. I also note that we have water which we waste by not using, emptying out to sea from the north end instead of building the Bradfield Scheme. I think the soil deficiencies overstated. I like people. I believe in education. I want more migrants to come to Australia. And, I believe in that command from god to go forth and multiply.

1. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s population is 22.4 million and growing by one person every 1 minute and 13 seconds. Do you think Australia’s population can keep growing indefinitely?

x yes

� no

2. In 2009 Australia’s population grew by 433,000 people, equivalent of adding a city over 1.25 times the size of Canberra each year. Two thirds was due to immigration and one third was due to natural increase (births less deaths). Do you think this growth is:

� too low

x about right

� too high

3. What impact does population growth have on our quality of life, such as housing affordability, urban infill, traffic congestion, water resources, hospital services and other infrastructure? It creates:

� more pressure

x no change

� less pressure

4. What impact does population growth have on our environment, including Australia’s wildlife, forests and waterways; loss of farmland, land degradation, pollution and greenhouse emissions? It creates:

� more pressure

x no change

� less pressure

5. Vested interests such as property magnates argue that population growth is good for the economy. Some mining companies want more workers to extract and sell off our non‐renewable resources faster. But according to the IMF, 9 out of the top 10 richest countries in GDP per capita, had smaller populations than Australia. Is a larger population essential for economic prosperity?

x yes

� no

6. Should Australia recruit doctors, nurses and skilled workers from developing countries, or should we invest more in skilling Australians, and send training teams to aid overseas?

� train more Australians

x recruit overseas workers

7. In 1994 the Australian Academy of Science investigated the impact of population growth on the Australian environment. It found that our land mass, though large, is less rich than other continents in many biologically important elements. As a result, our ecosystems are relatively fragile, and human impact on the environment is particularly severe. It concluded that 23 million was a safe upper level at which to stabilise Australia's population. Do you think this level is:

x too low

� about right

� too high

8. In 2009 Australia’s net overseas migration (278,000) was equal to the number of long term arrivals (508,000) less long term departures (230,000). Would you support a balanced migration program, where the number of long term arrivals is equal to the number of long term departures?

� yes

x no

9. Do you support winding the back the baby bonus?

� yes

x no