8/9/2019 Assignment One Article Summary

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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 peoples 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 Australias 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 wed 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 somethings that will provide people to go into the workforce right

away. He believes that they will not get sick, they dont 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 Australias focus needs to be on how Australia can best

8/9/2019 Assignment One Article Summary

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manage growth and how Australia can mitigate the effects more population will have on the

environment.

Word count: 537