Governments making water situation worse (MAY)
16 May 2007
By promoting population growth, every government in Australia is conspiring against its
citizens to make the water situation in Australia worse, according to Sustainable
Population Australia inc (SPA).
National President of SPA, Dr John Coulter, says the water savings that each Australian
is called upon to make are being rapidly and deliberately squandered by governments
pursuing policies of higher immigration and increased birth rates.
“Mr Costello wants three child families, the Howard government very significantly
increases immigration, Mr. Beattie seeks more population growth in SE Queensland,
Premier Bracks enthusiastically pursues another million people for Melbourne by 2030
while Mike Rann chases another half million for Adelaide,” says Dr Coulter.
“On present trends Australia will have 50 per cent more people in 2050 and consequently
50 per cent less water per person assuming no climate change. With expected climate
change, however, there may well be 70 – 80 per cent less water available per person.”
Dr Coulter says that all technical solutions proposed to increase water supply involve
large scale energy use and will exacerbate climate change.
“And every additional person in Australia speeds climate change,” he says. “Australians
have the highest per capita greenhouse emissions in the world. Thus Australia’s
population growth is a double whammy on our children’s water future.
“Behind all the rationalisation used by political parties to support more population lies
the grubby truth that vested interests seek population increase. These interests make
large donations to both major parties. These interests include real estate, building and
construction, land ‘development’ and suppliers to these groups. A collection of them are
pushing hard for 50 million people in Australia by 2050.”
Dr Coulter says that while these forces are at work and while governments are doing their
bidding for their own selfish reasons, governments are making the situation for our
children far worse than it need be.
“It is long past the time when all parties must eschew further growth and adopt policies of
living within our environmental means,” he says.
Further information: Dr John Coulter 08 8388 2153