Bob Carr backs Julia Gillard on population
- From: AAP
- June 27, 2010
FORMER New South Wales premier Bob Carr has welcomed Prime Minister Julia Gillard's take on population growth.
Ms Gillard today said she did not believe in a "big Australia" and that increased population levels needed to be sustainable.
Population Minister Tony Burke will be renamed Sustainable Population Minister, the Prime Minister said.
Mr Carr, an advocate of lower immigration levels, said Ms Gillard's attitude was welcome.
"Eighty per cent of Australians will agree with Prime Minister Gillard but will need a breathing space," Mr Carr said.
"Immigration has been run at levels that are simply too ambitious.
"This is the right direction for Australia and the new prime minister should be congratulated for abandoning talk of a population of 40 or 50 million."
Earlier this month, Mr Carr was appointed to head one of three panels on population growth month to develop an issues paper on future population.
He was charged with chairing the panel, which believes the population is already heading towards dangerously unsustainable levels.
Two other panels will comprise one with a bent on business interests that view high growth favourably, and one with no strong opinion on numbers but demanding better planning.
