Immigration not the only way to counter our ageing population

Here's another article from 'the Australian', discussing pretty much the same thing as the previous article from the Australian below, except this time they mention some of the ramifications of a massive immigration agenda on Australia, which to them means mainly job competition for youngsters competing with immigrants and over 55's staying on in jobs. I think much more importantly though, the immigration agenda pays little to no attention to the glaringly obvious fact, that Australia is already well beyond its human carrying capacity. Increasing the population in Australia is foolhardy folly at best and completely irresponsible idiocy at worst. I'm going with the second assumption. - Dave

THE Rudd government should be wary about using high levels of immigration in coming decades as a means to counteract the decline in productivity resulting from an ageing population because more over-55s are staying on in their jobs, a population expert warns.

Monash University demographer Bob Birrell said Treasury's new population estimate for Australia -- 35 million by 2050 -- was based on immigration levels of about 180,000 a year, a rate that may not be necessary to keep the economy running and will be difficult to provide for in terms of urban infrastructure and services.

"The government seems to have bought the argument that business in Australia needs a high amount of labour force growth to keep it going in the future. The rest of us are going to have to bear the consequences of that," Professor Birrell said yesterday.

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