What is demography?

The study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations

In what year did the Australian population reach 20 million? How quickly is the population growing?

The Australian population reached 20million on the 4th of December 2003. AUSTRALIA is poised to be the world's fastest growing industrialised nation over the next four decades, with a rate of population growth higher even than India. Australia is projected to grow at a rate of 65 per cent, well above the global average.

How many Aboriginal people are estimated to have lived in Australia before Europeans arrived?

Before Europeans arrived in Australia in the 1700s, Indigenous people had lived on the continent over thousands of years. The Indigenous population at the time of European settlement is estimated to have been at least 315 000. Their lives were changed irrevocably after the British claimed Australia in 1788. In the years that followed, the Indigenous population declined significantly, and by the 1930s the total Australian Indigenous population was estimated to be only 20 per cent of its original size. Today, a little more than two per cent of Australians identify as Indigenous. In the 2006 census this amounted to more than 450 000 people. Between the 2001 and 2006 censuses, the Indigenous population increased by 11 per cent, or 45 000 persons.

What the two main ways the population can grow? What percentage of the population growth in 2010 can be attributed to each way?

Increased food resources and increased living area

What is the total fertility rate for 2010?

1.9 Births per woman

What was the total fertility rate for Australia in 1935? How does this compare to other years? Why do you think that it compares this way?

 77.2 per 100,000 women. This compares very badly because back at that time Australia probably didn't have the same resources and hospitals that we have today. Also the Australian had just come out of the great depression.

What is the trend in the fertility rate for Australia since 1950?

The trend seems to be not having many children. At 1950, there is a sudden drop in the amount of children to around 2.

What is the average size of a family in Australia? How does that compare to the US?

The average size of a family in Australia is 2.5 people. The average family size in the US is 3.14 people. This shows that there is a higher average in the US, which would explain why there is a much higher population. 

Work

Who is the author and what is his job title?

Graeme Innes is the author and he works as a Race Discrimination Commissioner

Who does he work for and what is supposed to do in this job?

He works to stop racism

What does the author say is often the beginning of a racist comment? Have you every heard anyone use this line to say something racist? If so, what did they say?

 ''I'm not racist, but . . .'' this is the beginning of a racist comment and I have not ever heard anyone say this

What percent of Australians are born overseas or have an overseas parent?

50% percent of  Australians

What is a 'monoculture'?

Monoculture is a single harmonious culture where everyone accepts each other 

What are some welcome benefits of online technology?

Links people all around the world and lets you research anything you didn't know

What are some unwelcome results of online social media?

Racism, unknown people talking to you

What makes racism online so dangerous?

Racism online is very dangerous because people might base what you say on your whole country and it also may effect peoples feelings

What will help stop racism online?

Banning any racist comments, fines should apply

What does the author suggest we need to do to stop racism?

We need to act together, without delay, to eradicate racism and racial inequality in all of its forms - to find a solution

How has Australia changed in your life time?

Physical

• Droughts
• Floods
• Building of the Olympic Park

We can find out about the physical changes through research on the Internet or from past documents and other sources of information. We can also use old weather charts to find out about the droughts and floods that happened in Australia.

Droughts

Australia has suffered severe droughts in its northern and eastern regions during many EL Niño years. These droughts have reduced crop yields, killed livestock, eroded soils and encouraged destructive bush fires. The El Niño event of 1982-83 coincided with a drought that may have been the worst for 100 years. The 1982 winter rains failed over the south-eastern grain and pasture areas of Australia. In northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, the summer rains also failed. The drought was broken in the autumn of 1983 by torrential rains in eastern Australia. Sheep, weakened by the drought, suffered severely: many were drowned or starved, and foot-rot caused many lengthier deaths.

Socio-economic change

• Financial Crisis
• More money in Australia
• Mining

We can find out about the socio-economic changes by looking at old financial records of Australia through the years. We can find out if Australia is continuing to gain money or if it is continuing to lose money. But we don't know what will happen in the future.

Mining 
The mining industry has been a great turn around for Australia and its socioeconomic status within the world. Since Australia is a relatively new country it has many resources available such as a major fuel, coal. This is very good for Australia's economy because China, a country that is booming with a growing population is in demand for coal and Australia has to coal they need. This means that Australia even in a GFC is able to grow as a country and have more money within there economy. 

Cultural Change

• Asylum Seekers
• The Stolen Generation
• More woman in parliament 
• Population

Cultural changes have happened throughout Australia but where can we find information? From the Stolen Generation we can find out information through carvings on rocks, stories told by the ancestors and even past documents written at the time. This is basically the same with the others.

The Stolen Generation
"The Stolen Generation" is a phrase, which is now familiar to most Australians. It speaks of the suffering and sometimes permanent damage caused to many Aboriginal children unjustly removed from their families and frequently raised in institutions. This essay will look at the issues brought about from the stolen generation, the role of the government as well as the long lasting effects.

The stolen generation occurred between the years 1910 and 1970 mainly in rural Australia. It involved the removal of full blood aboriginal children as well as "half-castes" from their families, to be placed in institutions or foster care with a white family. The negative consequences of removing the children cannot be under estimated. For the majority of people involved, the effects have been "multiple and profoundly disabling."