YELLOW PERIL

Grey River Argus, 6 April 1943, Page 2

YELLOW PERIL

Australia’s Problem LACK OF POPULATION. SYDNEY, April 5. Australia must increase its population to survive. That this fact is thoroughly realised by the great majority of Australians is strikingly indicated by a recent public opinion survey. No less than ninety-three per cent, of those questioned declared the Commonwealth must have great increase in white population in order to be safe from invasion by Asiatic races. That ninety-three per cent, were split almost exactly into two halves,—those who advocated more Australian babies, and those who wished to encourage immigration as well -as larger Australian families. Two-thirds of those favouring immigration wanted only English-speaking people to enter their country, but there was considerable support for permitting entry to hardv white Nordic races and to Russians. The continuation of a “White Australia” policy was unanimously favoured. Bigger Australian families were advocated by seventy per cent, of those questioned, forty per cent, favouring four children as the average family. Twenty-two per cent, voted for three children, and twenty per cent, considered there should be at least five children in an average- family. Improved economic conditions with security of employment and government .financial assistance were widely advocated to encourage larger families. Baby bonuses, Government housing schemes (with mortgage reduction for each child), were among the schemes suggested. During the past ten years, Australia’s birthrate has been below twenty per thousand of population. Eighty years ago it was forty-two per thousand. However, the birthrate has risen steadily since the depression years, when it reached the record low level of sixteen decimal four. At nineteen decimal five for the first 'nine months of 1942, the latest figures available, it is still below the rate for 1929-30.