Stage 5 Unit: 5A4
Australia in its regional
and global contexts
Future challenges for Australia
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.
Definitions
Key Word
Definition
Asylum seeker
an individual who seeks refuge in a foreign
country, usually due to religious or political persecution
demography
the study of human population characteristics
and patterns
emigrant
someone who leaves one country to settle in
another
Fertility rate
the average number of babies born to a woman
during her reproductive years
immigrant
a person who migrates to another country
permanently
Definitions continued
Key Word
Definition
infrastructure
facilities and systems that serve a country,
city or area, including transport and communication
systems, power plants, hospitals and schools
reconciliation
the process of understanding and building
the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians
refugee
a person who flees their country in search of
refuge in times of war, famine, political oppression or
religious
persecution
superannuation
a pension-like program that is organised by
employers for the benefit of their employees to ensure that
they have enough money to fund their retirement
Definitions complete
Key Word
Definitions
suburbanisation
urban growth caused by the creation of
new suburbs at the outer edges of the city
Temporary protection visa
a visa to Australia for asylumseekers
who 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)
Current and Future Population Trends
- Australia’s Population Growth
 Australia’s population has grown from 3.8 million in
1901 to over 21 million in 2010
 Access ABS Website – see Australia’s population clock
 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
 Internet activity – compare growth rates of other
countries
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.
What does the fertility rate need to be 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
 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
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 a change in the structure of
Australia’s population
1. 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 19451965) are now reaching retirement age
quick quiz
Retiring baby boomers
 Challenges and opportunities of retiring baby boomers
Challenges
Opportunities
Better educated retirees will have a
continued interest in learning,
leading to an increased demand for
adult education courses
•Increased economic and social
benefits 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
Opportunities
More 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
Boom or Doom!
Economically, baby boomers represent an
even bigger future challenge. As the baby
boomers grow older this group will distort
Australia's non-working population, just as
they increased its working population
throughout the 1960s and 1970s. An older
non-working population will put a greater
strain on Australia's hospitals, aged-care
services and pensions with many
commentators predicting a financial crisis.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Baby-Boomer-And-ContinuingEducation&id=1193592
http://www.seniors.gov.au/internet/seniors/publishing.nsf/Content/Hobbies
+and+interests
More on Boomers ….
We Boomers did just that "boomed". We even created a device called "The Boom
Box" to play our music for everyone instead of just ourselves. We were raised to
believe that everything was possible and our parents had made life pretty easy for
most of us. We lived near our schools so the walk was short. We rode in car pools,
took music and dance lessons, didn't have many chores to do, and we went to
movies. We got a bit out of line in our teens and early twenties. At the age when
our parents were saving the world via World War II we were tuning in, turning on,
dropping out, going to concerts, and burning draft cards...and bras. We fought in
Vietnam, a very different experience from WWII. And we got used to the idea that
we could have our own sweet way if we just demanded it enough.
When we grew up we invented the World Wide Web, Apple, Microsoft, Rock & Roll
and Flat Screen TVs. We also over mortgaged our homes and used credit cards
instead of savings accounts. On the other hand, we started the fitness craze that
changed people's health habits. We outlawed smoking in public places and now
that we are turning 65 we don't look old yet.
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
Choose an Activity
 Create a poster on ‘The challenges and opportunities for Baby Boomers’ (based on
the slides). Use images and key points
OR
 Construct a table outlining the generations of Australians (Builders, Baby Boomers,
Gen X, Y, Z) For each provide:
 What years were they born eg Baby Boomers 1946-1964?
 What is the split (%) of Aust’s Population?
 Growth/decline rates?
 Their attitude/outlook on life
 As a generation, what is one contribution to Aust society/culture
 One key implication/challenge for Australia’s future
OR
 Discuss the range of government policies that will address the problems that
will arise with the ageing population. How does this compare to other developed
countries. Suggest a strategy that has worked in another country that could
assist Australia.

Activity
 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 at 2% and
Tasmania has the slowest at 0.7% (2006)
 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
Interstate Migration
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
Research
1) Research The Shire of Crookwell (Upper Lachlan
Shire) and identify the following: Where is it in Aust,
the challenges it is facing and what has been
developed to meet these challenges.
AND
2) Students can create a visual presentation to show
either
1) the decline of small inland towns or
2) the growth of coastal developments
Sustainable cities
 More than 20% of Aust. Population live in Sydney.
 One of it’s greatest assets is it natural environment and resources
– the harbour, beaches, bushland.
 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
Sustainable cities
 Sydney’s natural resources:
 ENERGY – household consumption continues to rise
despite households getting smaller
 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
Sustainable cities
 Sydney’s natural resources:
 LAND - New housing developments are occurring and
replacing land to grow food. The demand for land (for
housing) is impacting the growing of food
 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT (EF)
 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 = more than
twice the global average.
Urban Planning
 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 liveability of the city.
Urban Planning
 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 communitysized 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 to commute by car.
E.g Norwest – Live and work in the same suburb (IBM,
Apple)
Migration
 Australia’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:




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Employer sponsored
Business people
Family members
Skilled workers
Humanitarian entrants or refugees
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 wellfounded 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.
Difference between asylumseekers and refugees
 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.
ACTIVITY
 Investigate the Christmas Island incident
 Who was fleeing?
 From where?
 Other interesting facts?
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.
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
 INTERNET ACTIVITY
 Research the treatment of refugees in one developed
country and compare the treatment there with the
treatment provided by Australia.
 Handout – Refugees and detention centres in Australia
(GF2 Teacher Resource p29-30)
Reconciliation
 Definition – the process of understanding and restoring a
relationship, especially between 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 p1920)
Reconciliation
 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
 Research how New Zealand and/or Bolivia have dealt
with the issues of reconciliation and Indigenous people
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.