Population growth: What is desirable and sustainable? What is inevitable?

21 May 2010

According to estimates, Australia's population will grow to between 36 and 44 million by 2050. The growth will mainly be in urban areas: it's estimated that Melbourne, for example, will be home to between 7 to 8 million by 2050. Many argue this is sustainable, desirable and inevitable, and many disagree.

In this Melbourne Conversations event, prominent commentators discuss the numerous pros and cons of predicted population growth. The panel, chaired by Peter Mares (ABC Radio National), comprises: Charles Berger, Director of Strategic Ideas, Australian Conservation Foundation; Saul Eslake, ­ Economist and Program Director, Productivity Growth, Grattan Institute; Maurene Horder, ­ CEO, Migration Institute of Australia; Mark O'Connor, author, poet and environmentalist; and Dr Marcus Spiller, planner and urban economist, and founding director, SGS Economics and Planning.

Part 1: 26:25 mins

 

Part 2: 28:50 mins

 

Part 3: 33:36 mins

Permanent URLhttp://apo.org.au/node/21389
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