I READ with interest the letter on Friday, February 16 by Angus McKibbin (“Let’s not lose what makes our rural city so special”) regarding the population growth of Bathurst.
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It is a topic that should have much more ongoing discussion because of the impact on our lives in this beautiful part of the world, and the implications for all Australia.
Our federal politicians have instituted immigration of 230,000 to 360,000 people per year for the last decade. Liberal and Labor. That is one Hobart or one Canberra every year. There is no way services and infrastructure can keep up. Per head of population we take three times as many as the USA, and Australia is one of the highest recipients of migrants per head of residents in the world today.
A total of 70,000 per annum would more than satisfy our refugee obligations, and allow us to choose based on need.
Several issues need to be debated.
1. Infrastructure stress, including on roads, schools and health.
The growth of Bathurst suburbia is faster than the infrastructure can keep up. This is always the Australian norm nowadays.
So far it is coping, but evidence of stress fractures is starting to appear. For those of us who have a CBD business, we know that our accessibility, including parking for our clients (and staff), is now at a premium, with the shortening of parking times, and spaces.
This means customers find it inconvenient to come, especially the elderly, who cannot walk far comfortably, or those who will be in the office more than half an hour to an hour, who risk a parking fine.
Should we consider closing down?
2. Capital gains. An often considered topic when talking about “growth”.
The increase in the value of property is partly to do with the desirability of location. Excessive population pressures have a negative effect here. If you want a city life, it is just over the Blue Mountains. An example is Nowra, a lovely South Coast town that is under enormous population pressure from the expansion of southern Sydney. Another victim of its own beauty and success is Terrigal, which is now often mostly a bottleneck.
Bathurst can avoid that by having a far-seeing council and planners.
In 70 per cent of the world, including Australia, people are choosing to have smaller families because they innately know that they, and their children, have a better go in life and their world will be better that way.
Then there’s food production, the Murray-Darling Basin, soil and environmental degradation, too much tar and cement, global warming ... don’t get me started.
I would love to see my home and business continue to thrive, which it won't do should an overcrowded city be imposed on it. I think we are here because we chose a country lifestyle, which is threatened by unrestricted growth.
Growth is not the new dirty word, it just needs careful management.