Thousands of Australians, including prominent figures like Dick Smith AO, economist Leith van Onselen, and Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe, have united in a call to stabilise Australia’s population. Over twelve thousand signatures have been added to a position statement spearheaded by Sustainable Population Australia (SPA), highlighting widespread concern about the impacts of rapid population growth.
SPA National President, Peter Strachan, revealed that the Position Statement has garnered significant attention since its release, serving as a key platform for citizens to express their discontent with Australia’s burgeoning population. “Australians see no benefit to their quality of life following Australia’s 8.2 million or 43% population growth since the year 2000,” Strachan noted.
Recent statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the population is increasing by a staggering 13,148 per week, with only 2,413 of these from births minus deaths. This rapid growth necessitates the construction of 4,200 new dwellings each week, yet current completion rates fall short by approximately 1,000.
SPA’s stance is clear: there is an inherent conflict between population growth and the protection of the environment, economic stability, and the well-being of Australians. Strachan emphasised, “SPA’s petition calls for saying ‘No’ to a Big Australia and ‘Yes’ to an Australia where everyone can afford a place to live, children can find a classroom to study, and the environment isn’t continually degraded by population expansion.”
Strachan highlighted the frustration many Australians feel when the population debate is dismissed as racist or anti-migrant. The core issue, he asserts, is the sheer number of people, not their origins. Surveys consistently indicate that the majority of Australians desire an end to population growth. However, open discussion on the topic is often hindered by politicians, mainstream media beholden to real estate advertisers, and, paradoxically, some environmental organisations.
The overwhelming response to SPA’s Position Statement underscores the public’s desire for their concerns to be acknowledged. Australians are evidently worried about securing a sustainable future for their families and are ready to take a stand.
SPA also urges citizens to contact their MPs and federal ministers to voice their concerns about high population growth. Hundreds have already responded to this call, signalling a growing grassroots movement.
Strachan pointed out that population policy is poised to become the central issue in the 2025 federal election. SPA advocates for policies aimed at stabilising the population below 30 million, which would help ensure better access to housing and social infrastructure.
The economic rationale for high immigration, touted over the past two decades, has not delivered the promised benefits, Strachan argued. Treasury’s focus on GDP growth has come at the cost of GDP per capita, increased inequality, homelessness, and environmental degradation. “It is absolutely absurd that the Albanese government is willing to see more hardworking Australians become homeless in order to import so-called skilled workers who never get skilled jobs,” Strachan stated.
SPA positions itself as the best organisation to provide economic and ecological insights into the population growth issue, free from racial or other biases. Strachan reaffirmed, “We analyse population based on numbers, pointing to economic and ecological outcomes. This year is a critical time for the Australian people and our natural environment.”
SPA’s independent, not-for-profit status underscores its mission to protect the environment and quality of life by ending population growth in Australia and globally, without resorting to racism or involuntary population control. The organisation’s ‘Say NO to a Big Australia!’ campaign has gained considerable traction, reflecting widespread public support for SPA’s position on population and immigration issues.
Key facts from the campaign include:
Over 12,800 people have signed the position statement calling to stabilise Australia’s population, with nearly 1,000 new signatures each week.
Notable signatories include Australian of the Year Dick Smith, Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe, and economist Leith van Onselen.
Nearly 600 people have sent emails to their Federal MP and Housing Minister Julie Collins to express their concerns about population growth.
The position statement is a cornerstone of Sustainable Population Australia’s ‘Say NO to a Big Australia!’ campaign, which advocates for policies to stabilise Australia’s population below 30 million.
As the 2025 federal election approaches, population policy is set to dominate political discourse, with SPA’s campaign demonstrating significant public backing for their stance on these critical issues.
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