Sustainable Population Australia has welcomed Professor Anne Poelina, a renowned First Australian academic, as its new patron.
Prof. Poelina joins patrons including Katharine Betts, Tim Flannery, Bob Carr, and Ian Lowe.
SPA describes itself as an independent not-for-profit organisation seeking to "protect the environment and our quality of life by ending population growth in Australia and globally, while rejecting racism and involuntary population control".
SPA stressed on Monday that it is an environmental advocacy organisation, not a political party.
Prof Poelina said: "From deep-time, Indigenous Australian stories have explained the philosophy and practice of living sustainably. Earth-focused values provide an ethics of care for keeping everything in balance, peace and harmony."
"We now live in a time of great uncertainty for humanity and planetary survival," she said.
"World citizens share unprecedented risks that are pushing the planetary boundaries towards ultimate collapse. Human-imposed attempts to control the natural world through technology have put fundamental living earth systems at risk.
"There is overwhelming evidence that transformative changes are needed to overcome the human social, economic and legal challenges - as well as biodiversity and biosecurity threats - associated with ever expanding populations."
SPA National President, Peter Strachan, was delighted that Prof. Poelina has accepted the invitation to become the sixth patron of the organisation.
"Prof. Poelina is an active community leader, an advocate for human and Earth rights, film maker and respected academic researcher. In her role as Indigenous leader and multi-disciplinary scientist, she is a regular contributor to national and global think tanks," said Mr Strachan.
"A Nyikina Warrwa woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Prof Poelina champions both human and Earth-centred rights. As chair of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, she actively promotes a bioregional approach in bringing together diverse groups to ensure social licence for development, whilst promoting sustainable lifestyles and new economies for Northern Australia."
Mr Strachan said he was confident the appointment of Prof Poelina will "invigorate Australia's population debate with a perspective on Earth stewardship that is inclusive of multispecies justice".
"Prof Poelina's advocacy for planetary health and wellbeing resonates with SPA's core aims and objectives. Our organisation recognises that Australia's largely dry, fragile landscape has limited carrying capacity, which is further comprised every time we add another million people."
