Steady numbers

It is predictable that Property Council of Australia SA executive director Daniel Gannon calls increasing population growth in the state “promising news” (“SA brain drain in reverse”, The Advertiser, Thursday).

Well, you would expect him to say that, as he represents the property industry, which will not be happy until there are wall to wall buildings from Port Wakefield to Victor Harbor.

COVID-19 has given us a much-needed respite from the previous high levels of population growth in Australia and SA.

Australia’s population growth rate for the quarter ended June 30, at 0.1 per cent, was the slowest since quarterly population estimates began in June 1981.

This has meant reduced pressure on water supplies, roads, schools, hospitals, energy sources and many other items required for modern living.

It has also meant less Australian emissions generated and less impact on habitat for our flora and fauna. And there has been less competition for scarce jobs and housing.

Part of the reason Australia has been able to achieve such relative success fighting COVID, is our relatively low and spread out population.

Let us keep it that way.

Bob Couch The Adelaide Advertiser 21 December 2020

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