1. Future Challenges For Australia
Future Challenges For Australia
Australia In Its Regional And Global Contexts
Stage 5 Geography Syllabus 5A4

2. 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

3. 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.

4. (a) Learn the Lingo Go to: www.studyismybuddy.com
10G103 Geography tab
Download the learn the lingo document
Research the meaning of the terms detailed

5. Learn the Lingo 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
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 in
another
Fertility Rate
the average number of babies born to a woman
during her reproductive years

6. Lingo continued Key Word Definition Immigrant
a person who migrates to another country
permanently
Infrastructure
facilities and systems that serve a country,
city or area, including transport and communication systems, power plants, hospitals and schools
LGA
Local Government Area
Mortality Rate
The number of deaths within the population
Net Migration
The difference between the number of people moving into and out of the country
Population Density
number of people per unit area, usually people per square kilometre
Reconciliation
the process of understanding and building
the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
Good resources:

7. Lingo continued Key Word Definitions 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
Spatial Distribution
Suburbanisation
urban growth caused by the creation of
new suburbs at the outer edges of the city

8. Lingo continued Key Word Definitions Temporary protection visa
a visa to Australia for asylum seekers
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

9. http://2020. gwsc. vic. edu. au/w/images/6/61/World_Population_Growth
The current population of the earth is around 6.7 billion people. By the year 2020, the world population will have risen to about 8 billion people. By the year 2050, the world’s population will have grown to about 10 billion people. If the population continues to grow, we will have reached and gone over the Earth’s carrying capacity

10. 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)

11. (a) Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
The ABS is a very important source of reliable information for students
Go to
National statistics
Population of Australia –The Population Clock
Search for the following information:
What is the current population of Australia?
How frequently is there a birth?
How frequently is there a death?
What is the speed of the net gain of one international migration
How frequently is there a total population increase? And by how much?
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.
As of 09/02/2011
Total population approx 22,557, pm 09/02/2011
one birth every 1 minute and 44 seconds,
one death every 3 minutes and 44 seconds ,
a net gain of one international migration every 2 minute and 47 seconds , leading to
an overall total population increase of one person every 1 minute and 30 seconds

12. Australia’s Population Growth
Australia’s population has grown from 3.8 million in 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

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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)
Class debate – note points on board
What do you think?

17. (a) Demography Recap What is demography?
Why is demography an important aspect of Geography?
Which organisation in Australia produces demographic statistics?
When did Australia’s population reach 20 million?
How does the population growth rate compare with rates in other countries?
Which three factors influence population growth rate?
What is the fertility replacement rate?
What is Australia’s current fertility rate?
Outline one argument for increasing the size of population in Australia.
Outline one argument for reducing the population size in Australia.
Use Geo Focus 2, ABS research

18. Australia’s Ageing Population

19. 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%

20. The ABS Perspective On Change
Australia is experiencing a shift in the age structure of the population, with an increase in the number and proportion of older persons.
Changes associated with population ageing impact on all aspects of social and economic life.
This trend is expected to continue over the coming decades.
The main factors driving this change in population structure are:
Below-replacement level fertility rates,
Increases in life expectancy, due to improved health and medical care
Shifts in the level and composition of international migration.

21. (a) Activity - Ageing Populations
How old will you be in 2030?
How old will your parents be?
What will life be like?
People born between 1946 and 1964 are called the “baby boom” generation:
What are some of the effects on society as this generation reaches retirement age?
What is the importance of Pensions and Medicare issues in Australia over the next 50 years.

22. Challenges and opportunities of retiring baby boomers
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

23. Challenges and opportunities of retiring baby boomers
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

24. (a) Activity Population Pyramid
Go to tion Pyramid - Australia
Describe the changes in the population pyramid of Australia between 1971 and 2056
What % of people in 1971 were over the age of 60?
What % of people in 2056 are expected to be over the age of 60?
What % of people in 1971 were under the age of 10?
What % of people in 2056 are expected to be under the age of 10?
In pairs, suggest some of the reasons that may have caused these changes?

25. 1971 Population Pyramid

26. 2056 Population Pyramid

27. 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

28. 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

29. (a) Australia’s ageing population -Computer Activities
Go to website 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

30. 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’

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. (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.
Useful sites

35. http://www. cityofsydney. nsw. gov
Sustainable Cities

36. Sydney’s Natural Resources: WATER
the aim is to conserve water by reducing water consumption: Sydney’s population has doubled since 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

37. 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

38. 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

39. (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.

40. Urban Planning

41. 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.

42. 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.

43. (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.

44. Migration
Australia’s Migration Program was initially set up to increase the labour force and improve national security.

45. 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

46. (a) Activity
Use the abs website ( 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.

47. Refugees and Human Rights

48. 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

49. 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.

50. 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.

51. 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.

52. 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.

53. (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.

54. 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

55. 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

56. 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)

57. 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.

58. Reconciliation

59. 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)

60. 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

61. Reconciliation today The Current Situation
Individuals promoting reconciliation include:
Peter Garrett (politician)
John Williamson (singer/songwriter)
Cathy Freeman (athlete)
Pat Dodson (priest)

62. 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

63. Responses to Reconciliation
Other Nations experiencing Indigenous and reconciliation issues include:
New Zealand
Bolivia

64. (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.

65. 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.