Labor learned one thing from the defeat of Barrie Unsworth’s government all those years ago — it is not the opinions of a sensible majority that matters on election day but the militant minority who feel strongly about an issue.
Population
infographic 
We’re getting old: census over the century
In honour of census night, check out the ABC’s great interactive graphic showing Australia’s ageing population based on 100 years of census population data.
Video of the Day: Just one of seven billion
A fascinating — and typographically attractive — video by the National Geographic examining the world’s fast growing population, from where we live to how much energy we use.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Time to think about population policy
Crikey readers have their say about population policy.
Crikey Says: Sydney loves Dick … but misdirects its anger
An interesting thing happened on television last night. Dick Smith railed against a bigger population — and most of Sydney tuned in.
Abbott tries to make ‘Little Australia’ his own
Tony Abbott announced his immigration policy over the weekend, promising to dramatically reduce net overseas migration during his first term. This is misguided policy designed to seize the smaller Australia position from Julia Gillard, writes Paul Kelly.
Crikey Says: Gillard ducks for cover on immigration
Julia Gillard’s take on immigration and population is a colossal failure of policy, management and political communication, and it will have significant consequences for generations to come.
The elusive magic number on population
Daily Media Wrap: Kevin10 appears as a far more subdued campaign version of Kevin07, Gillard and Abbott prepare their tasty morsels for debate and how can population be sustainable without discussing immigration?
Campaign Crikey morning edition Day 5: it’s about soil
“I don’t think this is a immigration debate…I think it’s bringing into play issues about water about soil about city planning about infrastructure and services, about getting skilled people where we need them.”
Julia, get your message straight
Voters have every right to be confused by Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s mixed messages about sustainability and immigration, writes Paul Kelly.
Labor’s population
obsession
While Labor desperately appeals to the redneck vote on population, it is heading in the right direction on housing infrastructure because there’s a chance it might actually produce quality policy.
Mayne: Gillard the world’s most selfish national leader on population?
Given that Labor’s most rusted-on demographic of all is the support it gets from voters born overseas, Julia Gillard’s full-frontal assault on immigration is one of the most remarkable political double-takes we’ve seen in a while.
The Little Australia crowd will overturn one of our greatest economic reforms
The economic and moral cases for high immigration are compelling. But our current generation of leaders seem intent on reversing decades of sound policy.
Little Australia comes to Sydney
For Labor the population debate is no political parlour game about whether Kevin Rudd was verballed when he spoke about a population of 36 million. On this issue, the ALP are playing for keeps.
Hollo: Australia is not an island
Population policy is one of those deeply vexed issues that often seems to bring out the worst in political discussions. But population is an issue of far greater significance globally than it is locally, writes Tim Hollo.
Essential: voters warm to Labor under ‘capable’ new management
Essential’s latest poll shows Labor has retained its strong 2PP lead. Voters like Julia Gilard as Prime Minister, and like Labor better under her.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Our sick government ignores Ken Henry
Crikey readers have their say regarding the Henry Tax Review. Did the government completely wimp out on the recommendations or have some good reforms been made?
Abbott’s population target will cost us
Tony Abbott has a kinda-sorta population target — one that will inflict massive damage on the Australian economy in the long-term.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: A matter of principle in the asylum seeker debate
The immigration and population debate is getting heated in Crikey’s comments section, with economic migrants vs. actual asylum seekers and whether boat people are just paying to jump the queue.
Why medium density housing is a health issue
The ever increasing urban sprawl and private car based travel is causing enormous health, social, environmental and economic costs, says Victoria Walks’ Ben Rossiter. But can the public be convinced that more urban housing doesn’t necessarily mean more concrete?
The Liberals’ problem: population’s popular
Don’t underestimate how badly business views the Opposition’s attack on skilled migration. It’s more than just about a “big Australia”.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: The ‘populate or peril’ humbug
Crikey readers have their say on the population debate, a letter from the Executive Producer of ABC1’s Q&A, plus thoughts on number plates, negative gearing and more.
Population of a nation: Crikey readers mouth off
As always, Crikey readers divide into complicated camps — read on for a robust discussion on NIMBYs, Norway, GDP, air quality, housing density, racism, carbon footprints… and wombats.
Pacific Solution becomes the Pacific Problem
Controlling our borders will be much more difficult when our own region starts to see large-scale displacement of people from climate change.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: To populate or not to populate?
Crikey readers weigh in on asylum seekers and the population debate. Why are people migrating to Australia and is immigration the best way to grow our population?
