Prolific Progeny Production
In a time that is referred to as a period of ‘hyper-growth’ in global human expansion I’ve decided to take a look at two localised policies that I feel are attributing to maintaining the status quo of this global situation.
At the time of this blog posting the estimated world population is 6,975,380,966 (6.975 Billion), this is based on an average of 6 world population clocks that appear in the top search results on Google for “world population clock”
According to the United Nations, world population reached 7 Billion on October 31, 2011, The US Census Bureau made a lower estimate, for which the 7 billion mark was only reached on March 12, 2012.
There appears to be consensus that World population reached 6 billion in 1999 and 5 billion in 1987.
In Australia, according to the Federal Government, the population is 22,903,582.
This projection is based on the estimated resident population at 30 September 2011 and assumes growth since then of:
- one birth every 1 minute and 47 seconds,
- one death every 3 minutes and 35 seconds ,
- a net gain of one international migration every 2 minutes and 47 seconds, leading to
- an overall total population increase of one person every 1 minute and 34 seconds.
Australia officially reached 20 Million on December 4, 2003. That is an increase of 2.9 million in 9 years, a net growth of 880 people per day.
During his reign as treasurer, Peter Costello was often quoted, or paraphrased, saying “one for mum, one for dad, one for the country” to encourage prolific progeny production. Current Prime Minister Julia Gillard is in opposition to previous Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s beliefs about the size of Australia’s population with Rudd believing in a ‘big Australia’ and Gillard choosing to emphasise her belief in a ‘sustainable’ Australia.
With the demise of Gillard’s reign heralded by many in the media, the possibility of an incoming socially conservative catholic prime minister does not forecast a shift in policy to one that promotes abstention from procreation.
A policy introduced by the previous liberal government, one the current labor government continues to maintain, is the ‘Baby Bonus’ under the Family Assistance scheme. This “bonus is paid to customers following the birth (including stillborn babies) or adoption of a child. It recognises the extra costs incurred at the time of a new birth or adoption.”
It is paid per eligible child in 13 fortnightly instalments. With a higher first instalment of $879.77 and 12 fortnightly instalments of approximately $379.77. This totals to $5437.01 for each instance of eligibility.
Looking around amongst various opinions on the Baby Bonus there appears to be four clear lines of thinking. Leave the baby bonus as is, Increase the baby bonus, cut the baby bonus and pay woman not to have babies – a ‘No-baby Bonus’ if you will.
I do not believe there is need to look at financially rewarding people for not creating more people but as there are economic and social pressures associated with more and more people I do think there needs to be a halt to the over encouragement to breed.
Raising this amongst the members of my local think-tank it was generally agreed that to cut the baby bonus completely would not be well received amongst the public at large. So I set about to find an alternative approach, one that would address the economical concerns and perhaps lead to a reduction of the increasing pressure on the planet by the ever expanding population.
The below approach is not so much to discourage breeding, but to discourage over breeding and to place the burden of its economic cost onto those that choose to.
The Kritic’s Population Assistance Scheme.
Family Set up Payment.
- $5000 1st Child
- extra $1000 for each Child in a multiple birth.
- No Family Set up Payment for additional births.
Adoption Assistance Supplement.
- Family Set up Payment $5000 per adopted Australian born child.
- Single Family Set up Payment of $5000 for international child adoption.
Currently most Australian taxpayers pay a Medicare levy of 1.5% of their taxable income. That is only $1500 per year for someone on a taxable income of $100,000. That is $1500 per year to cover unlimited dependant members of one family.
So with that in mind The Kritic’s Population Assistance Scheme proposes the following changes to Medicare.
Medicare.
- Medicare liability for the unemployed accrued based on minimum wage.
- Medicare for 1st Child and 2nd Child.
- Medicare for 3rd Child but higher Medicare levy imposed. (3%?)
- No Medicare for additional births.
Medicare IVF program assistance.
- Medicare assistance for IVF programs for 1st child.
- No Medicare assistance for IVF programs for additional children.
The Kritic’s Population Assistance Scheme does in no way go as far as my personal views. But it is perhaps a starting point and one that everyone should consider.
Even if you view it, not as a method to curb prolific progeny production, but from the point of view of who is paying for what and how much people should get for their tax then you should give this matter some serious thought. Discuss it amongst your friends, your own Saturday morning think-tank members, here on The Kritic or at The Kritic on facebook.
The Australian population increased by 3.19 people in the five minutes it took for you to read this. Based on 2.8 births in that same period it just cost taxpayers in Australia a minimum of $15,223.62. The world population increased by 731.
Comments
There are social and economic pressures with more and more people. As a gay man who does not reproduce, I feel non-breeders should be financially rewarded for not creating more people.
Especially when my tax is going to support something that I do not participate in.
Your proposal does bot go far enough!
Your proposal sucks! The payment should be increased. You obviously have no idea what it costs to raise a family. We live in a democracy where we help each other. If you want to stop the population increase stop the boat people!!
If you cannot afford to support your own children why should I pay for it? Why do people bring children into this world if they have no means to look after them.
IVF should NOT be available on Medicare! If you cannot have children then that is how it should be why would you interfere with natural selection?
As for the Medicare situation, if your information is correct, no wonder the health system is in such a bad way.
I disagree with you in that I believe the Earth has the room to support us all. Not too sure about resources but I’m sure we will find a way.
Why are you limiting your “Adoption Assistance Supplement” to favour Australian Born children? Is this not a racist policy?
As a wealthy nation should we not support other countries by taking in their unwanted children?
If as you say this “in no way go as far as my personal views” what are those views? How much of an extremist are you? Have you taken advantage of the current payments? Or did you knock them back?
If the government would let us adopt children from other countries easier then maybe people would chose a baby from a poorer country to give it a better life but adoption from another country is more expencive than IVF sometimes. As for paying parents extra money to raise their children,,,, money value is the same as years ago when I raised children a dollar was still as valuble as it is today and we made do with no government handouts we got a mere $21 a month per child….. if most people spent their baby bonus’s wisely then it is a great helping hand but unfortunately some think the newest mobile phone would be great to own. The government needs to stop the handouts and put money where it is needed more.
I see you have a problem with Catholics. God loves you anyway.
Bless you my Son.
Finally a sensible approach. One that puts the costs onto those that choose to procreate. I do wonder though if it goes far enough. We need to start somewhere with reform on the current system and your proposal is as good as any. This should be in mainstream media not just on some blog. I’m going to send a link to this to 2GB and see if they run with it. Are you planning on submitting this to your local federal member? You should start a petition. It took me ten minutes to read this so it just cost $30k!!
I think the adoption scheme should offer higher payments than the Family set up. That way it would promote the take up of adoption over, what did you call it?, Prolific Progeny Production.
Also some of the current hurdles for adoption should also be addressed. Why should it be easier to bring a child into the world than to adopt?
The family set up payment should NOT be available to anyone under 18! Except for cases of rape.
Also if you’re unemployed you should have to pay back the family set up payment to the taxpayers on entering employment. I’m sick of people getting a free ride!!
All immigration should be stopped. You need to adjust this so that no payments are available for imported kids! Also dole bludgers should get nothing! If they carn’t work they shouldn’t have kids!!!!
Hi,
I think your suggested policy is a good start. I encourage all that read this to consider the petition at the Sustainable Population Australia website. https://www.population.org.au/articles/2012-04-20/population-petition
Please don’t delete this comment.
Hmm KPAS – Sounds like a topical ointment.
What about a Sterilisation bonus? There is currently a proposal being considered with this for women drug addicts. I think this should be extended to anyone that wants to take it up.
ok how about this! that all baby bonus payments are paid into a child care trust. This then goes toward child care costs, so then all monies definitely go toward the cost of raising a child.
@Karen – “We live in a democracy where we help each other.”
-so therefore my taxes should help you raise a big stupid redneck family, someone tell ‘er she’s dreeeeeeaaaaaming? What do you do for the rest of us?
If you can’t afford to bring a child into this world, why should I or any other tax payer fork out as a result of you getting laid? State sponsored prostitution should be cut.
” If you want to stop the population increase stop the boat people!!”
-and exactly how many boat people have arrived in the last year, 5 years, 50 years, or 250 years? How did your stupid ancestors get here? Let me guess, on the same ship as @Barry?
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