Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Australian government has decided to increase the baby-bonus to A 4,000, for parents producing children after July 1, 2006. Some expectant mothers are even trying to postpone their delivery dates in order to avail themselves of this governmental largesse. The government, worrying about the country8217;s aging population and low fertility rates, has even suggested that every family must have three children 8212; one for dad, one for mum and one for the country!
Now this made me wonder about our country8217;s population policy. Many years ago, we had the policy of 8216;us two, our two8217;: hum do humare do. The posters would show a man and his wife, and two children. The elder child would always be a boy, while the younger one would be a girl.
However, people did not take the policy too seriously, and often produced more kids than specified. So the government was forced to do a rethink and it came out with the slogan, hum-do-humare-ek 8212; 8216;us two, our one8217;.
No one knows whether this works or not. But the dilemma for people is whether the single child should be a boy or a girl. Clearly the government would like couples to stop at one child, regardless of its sex. But the government is also worried about the declining sex ratio 8212; and in some states the situation is indeed pretty dismal. So I wonder now whether the government would like every couple to have a daughter.
From all evidence, however, our people appear unperturbed about the government8217;s population prescriptions, and are busy trying to overtake China in the shortest possible time.
I, for my part, have only one child 8212; a daughter. The next will arrive only if I can get myself a permanent resident visa for Australia!
