Infectious diseases are another unrecognised cost of high population

The second factor that the coronavirus raises is that these infectious disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent. "Global improvements in prevention, early detection, control and treatment are becoming more effective at reducing the number of people infected," but the number of outbreaks is increasing.

First, this is a strong indication that population factors are overwhelming improvements in technology, medical science and prevention programs.

Second, the cost of "prevention, early detection, control and treatment" add more costs to the list of the high population drag on the economy, that the beneficiaries of high population growth expect the general public to continue to pay.

Although it might seem implausible, considering the language in the BCA documents on population, another possible reaction to the coronavirus events would be a shift away from the hard promotion of high population growth by some high-profile corporations. Corporate Australia is certainly concerned with the short-term bottom line but is also acutely aware of broader issues important to the general public. This has been shown in corporate efforts on climate change, indigenous affairs, gay rights and support for the Australian welfare system.

Although it may seem like a giant leap, there are Australian CEO's and Boards of Directors who will be looking more carefully at the costs of relentless population growth as the coronavirus digs deeper and deeper into all our wallets.