There is no place on planet Earth which would benefit by having more people. At any given level of production, consumption and waste generation, the more people there are, the greater is the impact on the environment. Australia's population is growing by 1.2% per annum and at this rate will double within 58 years.

It is a strong argument for preserving the environment for the many millions of future generations of Australians, rather than risking damage to it through over-exploitation by swelling or increasing the present day population.

Biological diversity cannot be preserved in any ecosystem where any species continually increases in numbers.

Australia's population is NOT living sustainably within its environment - as demonstrated by forest depletion, soil degradation/erosion/salination, plant and animal extinctions, excessive greenhouse emissions, and declining fresh and marine water quality.

The dark "islands" represent schematically the [relatively] fertile areas of the continent. Although parts of the northernmost coast are well watered, the soil is very poor.

The general poverty of Australian soils is due to lack of past volcanic or glacial activity required to renew soil. The most recent volcanic activity was ten million years ago in the south east portion of the continent [which is relatively fertile.]

Australia has few permanent rivers. Extensive manipulation of its fragile river system for irrigation, combined with massive deforestation, has accelerated soil degradation and contributed to extensive salinisation and creeping desertification.

The "islands "of comparative fertility are also the preferred habitat of most Australian fauna, which must compete for these areas with the rapidly growing, highly urbanised human population.