Future Challenges For Australia

Australia In Its Regional And Global ContextsStage 5 Geography Syllabus 5A4

Syllabus Agenda current and future population trends:

growth rates, age structure and spatial distribution

government population policies to manage population growth

implications of population trends: ecological sustainability population movement and urban planning

Introduction Australia is an isolated continent with one of the lowest

population densities and highest living standards in the world. This presents both challenges and opportunities to our country and its leaders.

With the current global population of nearly 7 billion set to reach 9 billion by 2050, overpopulation threatens the quality of life for people everywhere.

A sustainable and peaceful Australian and world population can only be achieved by balancing the needs of all people with the global environment in which we all live. By developing informed opinions geographers can make decisions that will help create a positive future.

(a) Learn the LingoGo to: www.studyismybuddy.com

10G103 Geography tab

Download the learn the lingo document Research the meaning of the terms detailed

Learn the LingoKey Word DefinitionAsylum Seeker an individual who seeks refuge in a foreign

country, usually due to religious or political persecution

Demography the study of human population characteristicsand patterns

Ecological Sustainability

For humans it is the potential for long-term maintenance of well being, which in turn depends on the well being of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources.

Emigrant someone who leaves one country to settle inanother

Fertility Rate the average number of babies born to a womanduring her reproductive years

Lingo continuedKey Word DefinitionImmigrant a person who migrates to another country

permanentlyInfrastructure facilities and systems that serve a country,

city or area, including transport and communication systems, power plants, hospitals and schools

LGA Local Government AreaMortality Rate The number of deaths within the populationNet Migration The difference between the number of people

moving into and out of the countryPopulation Density

number of people per unit area, usually people per square kilometre

Reconciliation the process of understanding and buildingthe relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

Lingo continuedKey Word DefinitionsRefugee a person who flees their country in

search ofrefuge in times of war, famine, political oppression or religiouspersecution

Superannuation a pension-like program that is organised byemployers for the benefit of their employees to ensure that they have enough money to fund their retirement

Spatial DistributionSuburbanisation urban growth caused by the creation of

new suburbs at the outer edges of the city

Lingo continuedKey Word DefinitionsTemporary protection visa a visa to Australia for asylum

seekerswho arrive in Australia without authorisation and are assessed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to be refugees, which allows them to stay a set amount of time

Australian Demography

What is demography? Three main components of demography:

Populations size Structure Distribution

Studying population change involves considering social, economic and environmental issues

The Australian Bureau of Statistics will be conducting a census in 2011 (held every 5 years)

(a) Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

The ABS is a very important source of reliable information for students

Go to www.abs.gov.au National statistics Population of Australia –The Population Clock

Search for the following information:1 What is the current population of Australia?2 How frequently is there a birth?3 How frequently is there a death?4 What is the speed of the net gain of one international migration5 How frequently is there a total population increase? And by how much?6 Find one country with a population growth rate higher than Australia’s

and one population with a population growth rate lower than Australia’s. For each country write a paragraph explaining the growth rate.

Australia’s Population Growth

Australia’s population has grown from 3.8 million in 1901 to over 22.5 million in 2011

Australia’s current population growth rate is 1.8% (2010) – this means for every 1000 people in Australia that year an extra 18 were added

Factors Affecting Population Growth

1. The fertility rate – the average number of children born to each woman of child-bearing age

2. The mortality rate – the number of deaths within the population

3. Net migration – the difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants.

About The Fertility Rate In Australia

Without MIGRATION the fertility rate needs to be 2:1 for one generation to replace the next.

Therefore with Australia’s fertility rate at 1.8% and without migration, Australia’s population would gradually decrease in size

Migration + Babies = Population

Babies Only = Population

What Is The Optimum Population?

Environmentalists will argue the population is already too great for the resources available and the environment is being degraded

Others argue for an increased population for reasons of national security and economic growth

To Increase Or To Decrease That Is The Question……..

Australia needs a larger population to prosper in the decades ahead, to avoid economic stagnation, to go forward as a dynamic, globally linked economy, and to ensure high living standards and high-quality jobs. (Steve Bracks Victorian Premier)

So what’s in population growth for the average Australian? Nothing, except higher house prices and rents, more congested roads and transport, more pollution and waste, more apartment blocks, more crowds everywhere, more pressure on our parks and nature reserves—AND, of course, less water per capita. (Tim Gosling, freelance science journalist with an interest in population and environment)

What do you think?

(a) Demography Recap

1. What is demography?

2. Why is demography an important aspect of Geography?

3. Which organisation in Australia produces demographic statistics?

4. When did Australia’s population reach 20 million?

5. How does the population growth rate compare with rates in other countries?

6. Which three factors influence population growth rate?

7. What is the fertility replacement rate?

8. What is Australia’s current fertility rate?

9. Outline one argument for increasing the size of population in Australia.

10. Outline one argument for reducing the population size in Australia.

Australia’s Ageing Population

Changing Population Structure

It is predicted that in Australia by 2051:

The number of people aged over 65 years will increase from the current 2.5 million to around 7.2 million

The proportion of people aged over 65 years will grow from the current 13% to 25% of the population

The proportion of people over 85 years will grow from the current 1.4% to approximately 6%

Reasons For The Change In The Structure Of Australia’s

Population1. A fall in the fertility rate due to women having

fewer children

2. The increase in life expectancy due to improved health and medical care

3. The fact that the baby boomers (those born 1945-1965) are now reaching retirement age

Retiring baby boomers

Challenges and opportunities of retiring baby boomers

Challenges OpportunitiesBetter educated retirees will have a continued interest in learning,leading to an increased demand for adult education courses

•Increased economic and socialbenefits to the community• Jobs created in adult education• Larger number of skilled volunteers

Changing health needs as more people reach greater ages, increasing demand for medical services and aged care

•Stimulus for medical research•More jobs in health and medical services•Development of new approaches to provide support for aged people in their own homes

Retiring baby boomers

Challenges and opportunities of retiring baby boomers

Challenges OpportunitiesMore people living alone, particularly women, creating possible social isolation

•Increased community development•New thinking about housing design•Transport services and communications technology that are age friendly

More people entering old age without sufficient financial resources, putting pressure on government to provide pensions

•Ongoing training and professional development of mature-aged workers•More flexible working conditions to facilitate gradual transition from work to retirement•Increased financial literacy in the population

Government Policies The local, state and federal government in

Australia have developed strategies, plans and policies to support aged communities

Local level – action plans are designed to increase awareness, encourage action and improve information about the ageing issue

State level – The NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing advises the Minister for Ageing on matters affecting the needs and interests of older people in the state, and on the impact of the ageing population

Government Policies Federal level – Compulsory superannuation has

been introduced to reduce the number of people that will be dependent on government pensions

The federal government encourages people to continue working beyond retirement ages

(a) Australia’s ageing population -Computer Activities

Go to website http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/country.php Compare Australia’s changing population structure with other countries

Conduct research to find out whether migration is the answer to Australia’s ageing population, and present findings in written or digital format

Select a developed country other than Australia with an ageing population and research the ways in which they are preparing for the challenge. Suggest one of the strategies that could be used in Australia

Population Distribution

Australia’s population is concentrated in urban areas near the coast.

More than 85% of the population already live within 50 kilometres of the coast with the trend continuing

This puts increasing pressure on coastal environments and leaving many inland rural areas in decline – this process is known as ‘sea change’

Unsustainable Growth In Coastal Areas

The rapid increase in population in coastal areas is causing severe problems for local councils struggling to provide the necessary infrastructure, particularly water and sanitation.

Local services are also put under pressure as the schools, hospitals and transport systems are not able to keep up with the increasing demand

Interstate Migration Some states and territories are experiencing

much higher growth rates than others. Queensland has the highest growth rate and

Tasmania has the slowest The current trend is for people to move north

to take advantage of cheaper housing and better job opportunities as well as climate, lifestyle and retirement

Rural-Urban migration

Reasons people move from small inland communities to larger regional centres and urban areas near the coast include: Changes in farming practices due to new

technology Loss of traditional industries Increasing environmental concerns changing

land use practices Decline in rural health and education services

due to centralisation of services Greater consumer demands with regard to retail

and leisure provisions

(a) Population Distribution Activity

Research The Shire of Crookwell and identify the challenges it is facing.

Students can create a visual presentation to show either the decline of small inland towns or the growth of coastal developments

Write the script for an imaginary radio or TV report in which the interviewer is asking a young person why they are planning to leave their small country town and move to the city.

Once you have written the script perform and record the interview.

Sustainable Cities

Sydney’s Natural Resources: WATER

the aim is to conserve water by reducing water consumption: Sydney’s population has doubled since 1955 but water consumption has tripled

Business, government and industry account for 30% of water use in Sydney

The benefits of water conservation include: Reduces the amount of water taken from lakes

and rivers Reduces the amount of waste-water created Uses less energy to treat and distribute water Avoids the need for new dams

Sydney’s Natural Resources:ENERGY

the aim is to reduce energy consumption

Sustainable development will need to be based on renewable energy sources as people rely heavily on electrical appliances that provide comfort eg air conditioners

Sydney’s Natural Resources:LAND

New housing developments are occurring and replacing land to grow food

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT This is a measure of the amount of land that it

would take to produce the food energy and resources that a person consumes (calculated at 1.7 hectares per person)

Average EF for people in Sydney is 7 hectares

(a) Activity Find a newspaper article on conservation of

water or energy from the last 12 months Develop a dot point summary on this article.

Write a media article outlining the challenges that Sydney faces in trying to reduce its ecological footprint.

Urban Planning

Transport The population in Australia’s urban areas is expected

to grow by four million between 2005 and 2030. Sydney Transport – transport by car is increasing and

is causing worsening air quality and traffic congestion Viable transport alternatives are one of the keys to

maintaining the livability of the city. The aim is to provide residential areas nearer to work

and leisure facilities and improve public transport to reduce dependence on cars.

Urban Village This modern approach in urban planning

seeks to combine a mixture of land uses and housing types in community-sized developments within cities.

These urban villages are located at transport hubs and are designed to provide a sense of community where people can live, work and play without having o commute by car.

(a) Activity Create a plan for an urban village to be

developed on land formerly used as old railway sidings. Your plan needs to include: a map, illustrations of building designs promotional material.

Research the ways a city outside Australia has addressed the challenge of either transport or urban sprawl.

MigrationAustralia’s Migration Program was initially set up to increase the labour force and improve

national security.

Types of Migrants Migrants can become permanent or

temporary residents of Australia and enter under one of the following categories: Employer sponsored Business people Family members Skilled workers Humanitarian entrants or refugees

(a) Activity Use the abs website (www.abs.gov.au) to find

a table showing the main countries of birth of Australia’s population.

Select four countries from your table and develop a composite line graph to plot the data. Explain the trends shown in the graph.

Develop a poster to illustrate the five types of programs that allow migrants to enter Australia.

Refugees and Human Rights

What are Human Rights?

Human rights are those rights that all people have because they are human beings.

The recognition that all people should be treated in a decent, equal and just manner led to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.

Who is a Refugee? The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status

of Refugees (Article 1) defines a refugee as: A person who is outside his/her country of

nationality or habitual residence; has a well founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.

Asylum-Seeker or Refugee?

An asylum-seeker is a person who has arrived in another country seeking safety and is waiting for recognition as a refugee.

For this reason there is no such thing as an illegal asylum-seeker.

Often these people arrive without documents because they have fled from regimes that would not provide them or they have not had the time nor means to acquire them.

Processing of asylum-seekers

Handled by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship

If they arrive in an authorised manner eg visa, they are generally allowed to remain in the community while their applications are processed

If they arrive in an unauthorised manner they are confined in detention centres until they are granted a visa to remain in Australia, or they leave the country, voluntarily or otherwise.

Temporary v Permanent Visas

Asylum-seekers entering the country without authority receive a 3 year temporary protection visa if their application for refugee status is successful

Humanitarian grounds – permanent protection visas can be granted to people on humanitarian grounds and enables family to be reunited.

(a) Activity Find a website that deals with issues

concerning refugees in Australia and: Analyse the site in terms of reliability,

accuracy, bias and ethics. Demonstrate the site to the class giving an

oral account of your analysis.

Find a newspaper article that relates to a concept in the slides.

The Pacific Solution The Tampa incident occurred in 2001 Afghan asylum-seekers were rescued from a

sinking Indonesian boat in international waters.

The Australian government refused to allow the ship to proceed to Christmas Island for processing

After negotiations the people were transferred to the Pacific island of Nauru

The Pacific Solution Diverting asylum-seekers to Pacific islands is

known as the ‘Pacific Solution’. The Australian government provided Nauru

with an aid package worth $20 million in return for agreeing to accept these people

New law – asylum-seekers can only apply for refugee status if they reach the mainland otherwise they reside in a detention facility on Christmas Island

Detention Centres Immigration Transit Accommodation Centres

have been set up in Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide for those spending a short time in detention and regarded as a low-security risk

Handout – Refugees and detention centres in Australia (GF2 Teacher Resource p29-30)

Detention Centres - activities

INTERNET ACTIVITY Research the treatment of refugees in one

developed country and compare the treatment there with the treatment provided by Australia.

Develop an annotated map of Australia to illustrate the location of Australian detention centres. Describe the distribution of Australian detention centres.

Compose a letter to the editor of a national newspaper expressing your opinion on the detention of asylum-seekers.

Reconciliation

Definition The process of understanding and restoring a

relationship, especially between Australian Indigenous peoples and the wider community

Reconciliation is a community-based movement involving Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

Handout – Indigenous Land Rights (GF2 Teacher Resource p19-20)

Reconciliation in Australia

Is based on three main ideas:

RECOGNITION that Indigenous people are the traditional owners of the land and have a unique relationship with the physical environment

JUSTICE – Past government policies have been detrimental to Aboriginal populations eg Stolen generation leading to social problems

HEALING – improving living conditions and quality of life for all Australians, but especially the disadvantaged

Reconciliation today The Current Situation

Individuals promoting reconciliation include:

Peter Garrett (politician) John Williamson (singer/songwriter) Cathy Freeman (athlete) Pat Dodson (priest)

Reconciliation today The Current Situation

Groups and organisations involved in reconciliation include:

Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) Reconciliation Australia NSW State Government ensure fair representation of Aboriginal

people on decision-making bodies and ensure policies and services are relevant and accessible to all people including Indigenous groups

Federal government (Rudd) formally apologised for the wrongs committed by white Australians towards the Indigenous people

Responses to Reconciliation

Other Nations experiencing Indigenous and reconciliation issues include: New Zealand Bolivia

(a) Activity Research how New Zealand and/or Bolivia

have dealt with the issues of reconciliation and Indigenous people

Design a reconciliation flag for Australia. Explain the relevance of all components in

your flag.

Identify an individual or group involved in reconciliation. Conduct research to express their perspective

on the issue.

Strategies for the Future

Reconciliation will not be a reality until Indigenous disadvantage is improved.

More progress and decision-making needs to be made in the areas of Indigenous health, education, housing, employment and land ownership.

Self-determination is the right to administer one’s own community which the Aboriginal community requested in the 1980’s. This proposal has been declined up to this point in time.