Media releases

Great minds to explore Big Australia population challenge

29 April 2011

Experts and opinion leaders from Australia and around the world will come together in
Canberra next week to explore strategies to deal with a bigger Australian population, and its
potential impact on agriculture, the environment, human health and the economy.

The Australian Academy of Science Symposium, Australia 2050: Population challenges to
sustainability, will be held at the Shine Dome, Canberra, on 6 May 2011.

To be opened by Professor the Hon Barry Jones, the symposium draws together international
and national speakers from a range of disciplines including demography, agriculture, water,
health and environmental science.

Highlights include:

• Professor Lord Robert May of the University of Oxford, Australian-born past
  President of the Royal Society of London and former UK Chief Scientist, will explore
  the challenges of population growth in Australia and globally, and offer suggestions for
  effectively addressing them.


• Sir Peter Gluckman, Chief Scientist of New Zealand, will speak about the human
  health implications of population growth.


• Professor Tim Flannery from Macquarie University will talk about the optimum
  sustainable population for Australia.
  


• 2011 Australian of the Year Simon McKeon will explore whether continued economic
  prosperity in Australia is dependent on significant population growth.


• Maria Deveson Crabbe, CEO of Marie Stopes International Australia, will speak about
  global family planning for the future.

Further information and program: science.org.au/sats2011/

Note to media: Media are invited to interview speakers prior to or during the event.
Please contact Mona Akbari (below) to arrange.