25 Million and Counting

The stats people say Australia's population reach 25 million by the first Monday of August 2018, roughly the size of a major conurbation in China - the greater Beijing area.

Are we a nation still consumed in worrying proportions by the 5Ds, an observation first mooted in the 1990s?

States of sedation or elation induced by drugs, drunkenness, driving, dependencies and deals? Our continuing take up of smart phones, opiates, coffee, sugar, oligopolies, poor compliance with regulation, political mischief and short sighted planning can make each of us look like a potential total wreck today, just like a cross between a potentially extinct elephant and our native koala, looking having a serious hang over with bites on our surprised demeanour.

More people are moving to outside Australia, but then this is countered by others moving in. It can all be attributed to the dynamics of a nation with both high levels of shortcomings and attractive features, depending on the eye of the beholder. The majority of the population has always had an immigrant background, only that the demographic emphasis has changed from the White Australian policy to varying levels of diversity that now significantly embraces migrants from China and India.

The impact on the continuing capacity and viability of the related supporting infrastructure and processes in education delivery, health care, transport, utility cost and other aspects of daily life can never be under estimated, especially if councils and State Governments continue to have a more reactive rather a than a proactive response.

Have standards of civility and personal behaviour changed with more people? Have the recent immigrants of the past decade been more willing to integrate into] the mainstream culture or become more differentiated in their own silo daily habits and mindset? Do residents see this nation as a long term place to settle in or just a pit stop in a more mobile world? The increased demand on resources from a growing population obviously creates an effect on costings and supply variables, so the cost of living, variety of talent to choose from and the number of community interaction issues rise in numbers as well. Do we feel safer for ourselves and at home?

And yet each of us must be somehow grateful for the freedom of expression; the relatively clean environment; the balance of personal and community equality; the emancipation in the lifestyle you choose; and the experience of spaciousness - the 5 Es.

#yongkevthoughts