"The main political parties have never consulted with core Australians on multiculturalism, immigration, refugees or citizenship." So what? They have not consulted us on anything much else, either. They evidently believe their mission is to govern us, not to serve us.

I think that Abbott should take heed of Mr Pasquarelli's sage, considered and well-researched advice. One only needs to recall the fate of the last politician to be the recipient of that advice.

Fascinating to read an anti-immigration rant that doesn't mention the word (or notion) "sustainability" once. Still, it's to his credit that he's open about his xenophobia, rather than taking the dog-whistling approach favoured by Abbott & co.

Well let's put it to a referendum - let the people decide.

Why is no politician willing to put the people they serve ahead of vested interests on this issue. SBS's Insight held an interesting program the other night on population. Even the capitalists were largely agreed that capitalism is not only about growth but economic wellbeing and having the resources to cope with populations.

Infrastructure was also the biggest issue concerning most people - not enough planning to cope with big influxes into Melbourne and Sydney.

We can argue all day about population sustainability, immigration and multiculturalism but at the end of the day it will end up being environmentalists vs racists vs business interests etc.

Let's just make a decision on what is an agreed 'sustainable' level based on science and economic modelling and work towards that goal.

Then put it to a vote and be done with it.

The latest report on migration:

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/pdf/report-on-migration-program-2008-09.pdf

I've been looking at the big picture for the Australian Economy of late.

Without going into sources.. I hope others who might doubt can provide links to the contrary if they exist.

Mining seems to account for around 30% of our gross exports.

To my stunned shock..the other major export is... wait.. EDUCATION.
(mid 30%)

But when one looks closer... that education export is driven (from what I can gather) by a juicy carrot of 'Permanent Residence' on completion of the particular course which is on 'the list'.

That list has recently been pruned down (last week) but it still exists.

So..we are not so much exporting education as much as importing people.

Any economy MUST have 'originating' value to export.. in order to maintain a true balance of trade.

IF.... mining (which will run out) and Education...which is 'soft immigration' will produce more and more job seekers.. the obvious question arises.

"WHAT"....will they eventually "do" ?

Our economy for working class Aussies is already dead.. the corpse has only reached rigamortis and stagnation... putrifaction and smell are yet to come as the body decays.

Most work in Australia at present seems to be in 'consumption' based areas.. which can only be sustained by the other 2 major exports(?)..
-Money out/consumed.. must equal money IN.... earned.
-If money "IN" will evaporate when we have dug all the stuff out of the ground...... what ? I suggest a clamour for the ramaining available jobs and social disruption of staggering proportions.

I hope I'm wrong.

Forkes and pelican are both right, no government has a mandate for a 'Big Australia' with its obvious loss of quality of life for most people, pressure on the environment and lack of solutions for the infrastructure problems that are woefully apparent such as inadequate water and expensive energy.

No government has a mandate for the annual leapfrogging for even higher records of immigration. Quick, fill Australia to the brim, but for what purpose? The urgency to house a booming population continues to result in good agricultural land being forever lost to housing estates.

In the West and in Japan the downturn in the number of children women are choosing to have should be taken as a normal reaction to the political, social and economic environment in which they find themselves. It should be taken as a bellwether for the future direction of society not as a an impediment for short-term profits that should be ruthlessly overcome.

It is significant that while there is much government and business can do to and at low cost that could dramatically improve the lot of parents who work, nothing is done. Even the relatively simple concept of job sharing has withered on the vine for decades because government and business are set in their ways and prone to taking the easy way out. The same is true in town and transport planning where minor changes could greatly assist families and improve lifestyle for all at low cost.

It isn't regular doubling of population that Australia is lacking, it is leaders with vision who are prepared to risk direct consultation with the electorate on needs and solutions. Meanwhile all we are getting from Messrs Rudd and Abbott is the usual superficial scare campaign. Both are running scared of any debate on population, infrastructure and sustainability, because neither party has done any planning and that is obvious. More deck chairs please and so what if the ship is listing?

no_THIS_ismeBD - erhm, I think you've read the wrong set of figures. DFAT stats show that services in total, of which education is a part, accounts for around 20 per cent of exports.. the services industry in total may account for 30 per cent of the economy (actually I think its more..

The article would have carried a lot more weight if it had bothered to quote a few figures, but that might have spoiled the argument. Skilled immigration to Australia has been well in excess of unskilled for decades now..