Dick Smith (AC), Prof. Ian Lowe and Prof Anne Poelina have joined more than twenty thousand Australians in signing Sustainable Population Australia’s (SPA) position statement .
- The SPA position calls for a stabilised Australian population, maintained safely within ecological limits.
- The position statement states: “we take the position that there is a fundamental conflict between population growth and environmental protection, a sustainable economy, and the health and well-being of our people.”
- Other notable signatures to the SPA position statement include The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Prof. Anne Keogh, Prof. Steve Keen, Emeritus Prof. Ian Lowe, economist Leith van Onselen, Mark Diesendorf, Dr Geoff Mosely, Dr Paul Collins and Dr Katharine Betts.
SPA’s position statement signatories include Dick Smith (AM), Prof Ian Lowe and Prof Anne Poelina. Lowe and Poelina are patrons of SPA.
As stated by Michael Bayliss – Spokesperson and Communications Manager
“Before he was first elected in May ’22, Anthony Albanese stated that Australians needed a ‘mature’ debate on population. After nearly two terms in government, the Australian public are still waiting on the invitation.”
“Poll after poll confirm that most Australians do not want a Big Australia. However, this desire has fallen on deaf ears from the Albanese Government, with Australia’s population ballooning at nearly half a million every year, hitting 28 million in June 2026. Nearly three quarters of this growth is through Net Overseas Migration.
“Political debate on immigration is polarised, fostering false perception that the only people who advocate for lower immigration are racists, and the only way to be pro-migrant is to be complicit to a Big Australia. These assumptions stymie an informed discussion on these critical issues, which are far more complex and nuanced.”
“Sustainable Population Australia offers a ‘third way’ to approach the immigration issue, informed by science and evidence based rational thinking. We make it clear that “it’s the numbers, stupid!”
“Population growth is impacting every facet of life, from environmental catastrophes to the housing crisis. As such, reducing economic migration is imperative to achieving a stable population. A Net Overseas Migration (NOM) target of 50,000 to 70,000 per year will result in a stabilised population, without having to shut the borders.”
“SPA predicts that any political party with a platform for reducing immigration will perform well in the 2027 Federal election. However, most political parties advocating for lower immigration do not have a good environmental or social justice record. Australians demand better, as demonstrated by the success of the SPA position statement.”
Quotes attribuatable to Peter Strachan – National President
“Every recent State of the Environment report says that human population density has a direct and detrimental impact on the natural environment, ranking higher than climate change.”
“Voters are tired of having their voices dismissed by vested interests, including property developers, big business and, counterintuitively, many environment and conservation organisations.”
“The incredible response to SPA’s Position Statement demonstrates that Australians want a rational path forward that is popular with voters but remains sadly absent in the political discourse.”
If you have not yet added your signature to SPA’s position statement, we welcome you to do so today at this link.
