%0 Journal Article %A Foran, Barney %D 2017 %T Future dilemma: a reply to the critics %U https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/journal_contribution/Future_dilemma_a_reply_to_the_critics/4969766 %R 10.4225/03/590abded29d79 %2 https://bridges.monash.edu/ndownloader/files/8359364 %K Environmental policy %K journal article %K 1039-4788 %K monash:64012 %K 1959.1/481114 %K Population policy %K Population options %X The release of the CSIRO Future Dilemmas report on population environment futures sparked a widespread debate in the Australian print, radio and television media. As well as the positive or neutral responses that focused on the issues, there were three sorces of overt criticism to which one of the authors replies in this article. The first are the economists, Chris Murphy and Mark Wooden, members of the Ministerially appointed external reference group, who oversaw the project in due diligence terms. The second is the green movement where the response is focused on the article by Ted Trainer in People and Place (vol. 11, no. 1). The third are three journalists from The Australian newspaper who concentrated their commentary on personal criticisms of the authors, rather than dealing logically with any of the factual issues analysed in the report. The three sets of criticisms help focus the next stage of the work but it is unlikely that doubling the effort and increasing the precision of the work will alter the attitudes of the broad groups that these critics represent. Once strong ideologies are formed, whether in science, society or politics, they are difficult to deconstruct and reform. Pagination on item is incorrect Copyright. Monash University and the author/s %I Monash University