READERS are primarily commenting on Terry Walsh's piece on population growth.

Migrants age

I WELCOME the contribution from Urban Development Institute of Australia executive director Terry Walsh on population growth ("Dire consequences of slowing growth", The Advertiser, 3/5/13).

Mr Walsh's most defining observation is "a population debate is really an immigration debate".

I hope the Minister for Planning, John Rau, is taking notes.

We are all aware of the challenges presented by an ageing population.

The question is, will deliberately increasing our population through immigration solve the problem once and for all?

The answer, of course, is no.

Take it from the Productivity Commission: "Realistic changes in migration levels also make little difference to the age structure of the population in the future, with any effect being temporary".

Elementary, because immigrants themselves age.

What Mr Walsh and his colleagues are concerned about is protecting their interests in their lifetime, with no regard for the long-term damaging effect of policies based on perpetual growth.

The world has changed dramatically since the Playford era of high immigration.

We've pushed our state's lifeblood, the River Murray, to the brink of collapse.

There's no starker example of being up against the limits of growth.

It's time to look to a new, truly sustainable economic model and everyone, including the property sector, should be working towards that goal.

C. FAULKNER, Cheltenham.

Finite planet

TERRY Walsh's comments (The Advertiser, 3/5/13) don't take into consideration the fact that population growth cannot increase indefinitely.

We live on a finite planet with limited resources.

At some time, population growth will have to slow down.

Yes, when that happens, we will have to care for an ageing, retired population.

Surely it would be better to face that sooner rather than later, when the numbers of ageing people needing support will be much higher.

KAY HAINES, Springfield.

Quality of life

THE population-growth issue raised by Terry Walsh (The Advertiser, 3/5/13) is the root cause of the angst of the citizens of Mount Barker, Burnside, Woodville, Henley Beach and many other localities, where the SA Government is forcing through unwanted housing developments.

Mr Walsh correctly identifies immigration as a major source of our population growth (about 70 per cent in SA).

Like Mr Walsh, I believe immigrants have enriched our society. However, population growth is leading to a lower quality of life for all of us.

Our roads are more crowded, our fisheries degraded, our water supplies are under more and more pressure, our hospitals struggle to keep up, housing is unaffordable for many, our flora and fauna are under threat, there is more competition for jobs, and we are building on good farmland for housing.

Population growth is also degrading our financial position, as each new citizen requires something of the order of $200,000 being spent on them for infrastructure.

Mr Walsh talks about "the dire consequences of stopping population growth".

I draw his attention to Denmark, a harmonious, prosperous country with negligible population growth. If the Danes can get along without population growth, so can we.

BOB COUCH, Convenor, Stop Population Growth Now Party of Australia, Marino.

Pyramid scam

TERRY Walsh spruiks the same sort of propaganda as some parliamentarians and certain business leaders.

I think we can all agree when he says: "Slowing or stopping population growth will come at a cost to today's Australians."

If it were a make-money scheme, it would be recognised as a "pyramid scam" and declared illegal.

It works the same way. The initial participants are paid by the later ones until it becomes top-heavy and collapses, as surely as overpopulation will.

We cannot increase our numbers indefinitely, so we must "slow or stop it" at some time.

GLYNN EYRE, Seaton.

Urban sprawl

PLANNING Minister John Rau's claim that I'm opposed to population growth and infill development is inaccurate (The Advertiser, 16/4/13).

What I drew attention to in my article were the views of a US expert who, after studying the economic, social and environmental consequences of rapid population growth in 100 US cities,concluded that although such growth advantaged the real-estate, banking and development industries, the community at large suffered.

Neither in this article nor in any other commentary have I indicated that I am opposed to population growth per se.

What I strongly advocate is sustainable population growth - particularly in terms of environmental values and infrastructure provision.

Similarly, in regard to infill development, I have consistently recommended densification within the existing urban form rather than allowing urban sprawl to continue.

What I have opposed is the densification of residential development, as per the 30-Year Plan, along those arterial roads where there are major public health risks and little prospect for reducing traffic, and the potential development and occupation of residential apartments would be low because of the poor amenity values involved.

KEVIN O'LEARY, Crafers.

Lack of water

TERRY WALSH's "Dire consequences of slowing growth" (The Advertiser, 3/5/13) seemingly overlooks the cruel fact that southern states often suffer from lack of sufficient water.

If Australia is to have more people, encourage them to live in well-watered tropical areas such as Cairns, Darwin and Wyndham, Western Australia.

WALLACE B. WREFORD, Mount Gambier.

Follow China

EVERY sperm is accountable. If you thought the rabbit infestation was bad, wait until the consequences of the human infestation is felt.

All countries should follow China's example and only allow a one-child family. That will prevent sibling rivalry, and eventually humans can be bred out of existence.

RICHARD LINTVELT, Hindmarsh.

Bad side effects

DICK Smith is right that Australia cannot sustain its current rate of population growth.

We have been selling our prime growing land to overseas interests who will take care of their people and charge Australians hefty food costs for what's grown on our own land and the water used.

Drinking water may go to overseas farms, trumping the rights of Australians who may need this resource.

Mass population growth always brings bad side effects that are hard to manage.

We will see more violence and crime, and more roads and infrastructure - all placing greater pressures on existing systems. Jobs will go to those with high education, and often this will mean those who have come from overseas.

WALTER CHRISTY, Shearwater, Tas.

Fuel for thought

IT is time for our State Government to adopt a creative approach to fuel conservation.

The Federal Government has used some taxation on cars to reward the purchase of low-consumption vehicles, yet the state appears to be doing very little.

South Australia has two avenues to influence customer behaviour - registration fees and stamp duty, yet neither of them has been used effectively.

And that is despite several suggestions over many years.

We should be raising registration and stamp duty for vehicles using more than an average of, say, 6.5L/100km, and significantly decreasing the charges for those below that level.

The current system of basing fees on the number of cylinders has become meaningless and should be scrapped.

And when considering a better approach and the issue of locally produced cars not being up to the reduced level of fuel consumption, what about announcing a scheme but not implementing it for, say, four to five years - giving every-body enough warning.

Oil is a non-renewable resource and it should be conserved - and less fuel consumed also means less pollution.

MICHAEL SCHILLING, Millswood.

Argue the toss

WHEN we came to live in this area we were in the Brighton Council area (Hove). Then came the amalgamation. So to protect petty jealousies, the area became Holdfast Bay.

How does a resident of rural South Australia, interstate or overseas necessarily know to type City of Holdfast Bay when they want to find out about Brighton or Glenelg?

The same ridiculous situation exists in City of Charles Sturt, when we really want to know about West Torrens etc.

A sensible precedent exists in the area of Port Adelaide/Enfield, so it can be done.

Silly jealousies take over and everyone wants to be first mentioned. Toss for it, for goodness sake.

R. G. BOWER, Glenelg.

Just say G'day

I APPRECIATE the feelings of the young woman from the country having difficulty communicating and getting responses from city dwellers (Family Forum, The Advertiser, 4/5/13).

I experienced the same issue when coming to the city as a teenager and later after some years in the country.

I, too, had difficulty with the fact of being ignored.

I do, however, continue to speak to passers-by in the suburbs and end up getting mixed responses.

My suggestion is, where practical, say hello - you will win some and you will lose some. Those who fail to respond are the losers.

Keep it up.

DAVID GORDON, Seaton.

Site for bridge

ALL the hullaballoo about the Torrens footbridge makes it evident that the project needs to be cut down to size.

Rather than proceed with the white elephant, the bridge would be better put where it will be of real use. I suggest Wellington could do with it.

The Wellington punt could then be cut down to size and put in the Torrens lake.

I suspect many people would pay their 50c just for the gimmicky trip.

I note also that in the 1860s, Wellington was the preferred site for the first bridge.

The choice of Murray Bridge instead involved some shabby politics - and also greater expense.

What's new?

JOHN M. LEE, Happy Valley.

Road to wealth

I WOULD really like to own the company that supplies the orange posts, cones, little flags and webbing to roadworks sites and also around building sites. I reckon I would be very be rich - and guaranteed an income for life.

PAMELA MOYLE, Edwardstown.

One lucky tree

A FRIEND asked me what is the type of tree that is the sole survivor left standing in the northern end of Victoria Square. I replied sadly, "Arboreus Incredibiliter Felix".

It reminds me of the Lone Pine that stood resolute to defy the carnage at Gallipoli.

MIKE THORPE, Marion.

Rejuvenated

WOW! Things are finally happening in Adelaide.

Some character is being injected into a tired central shopping precinct and Victoria Square is about to be reborn.

Now all we need do is tear down the walls hiding Government House and open this iconic building and its magnificent grounds to the public and our city will be moving into the 21st century.

P. ALLISON, West Lakes.