In fact the CSIRO has estimated that the cost of restoring Australia's
landscape could be more than the $37 billion annual value of farm
production.
The magnitude of this must surely face us with the need to consider
radical approaches. We are not going to generate that sort of wealth with
an economy that remains at its present size. To grow that economy we must
grow our population and at the same time adopt high-value industries.
But the growing of Australia is not going to happen overnight and it
must be rigorously planned and planning requires a basic framework of
predictability. Central to that is the knowledge that we will retain
sovereignty and governorship of our country.
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APop contends that a relatively low population makes us vulnerable to
external forces. This low population severely limits our capability to
adequately fund the high technology defense forces of the future and to
deliver sufficient defense personnel.
Protection of the vast Australian territory, its offshore resources and
the rights of free movement in regional waters requires a substantial
defense force. Yet defense spending has decreased by 50% per capita over
the past 50 years. Our spending at 1.8 percent of GDP is a third less than
15 years ago.
Fertility rates in Australia have fallen to below replacement level.
Factors ranging from rising child care costs and industrial agreements
that discourage working mothers are producing a rapidly declining
birthrate. Government support is needed to make it affordable for people
to choose to have more children. Making childcare tax deductible would
stimulate the childcare industry, create associated employment and
possibly boost the fertility rate.
Boosting population through immigration and encouraging the national
birthrate can create a society that will not resent the cost of aged care
because it has the tax base to pay for it.
APop contends that our future lies with growing our wealth. So exactly
how would increased immigration affect our economy?
Government studies show that there is a net economic benefit from
immigration.
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Migrant-owned businesses have created 7700 jobs over a three-year
period. Two thirds of businesses owned by migrants have developed into
exporters and generated $348 million in exports in three years.
The development of a threshold population size of critical mass is
necessary to provide the economic strength to not only undertake greater
research and development, but also to have the capacity to implement the
value added phase within Australia. This threshold population is
predictable in the 30 to 50 million range in order to match the strengths
demonstrated by other large global economies.
A Greater Australia could have an economy, of a size capable of
withstanding global exploitation in currency, trade and foreign affairs.
We are lucky to live in a country where the people have the freedom and
the power to change their destiny. Let us not be remembered as a people
who had that power and freedom - but shirked the responsibility.
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