achieved through the agglomeration of the varied cultures of new migrants that will help communities make room for further migrants. Australians agree that in the long-view migration was overwhelmingly positive for the country. We draw a great sense of national achievement from the fruits of the labour of waves of European migrants in the 50s and 60s. Our political leaders need to enter into a frank, honest and open conversation with Australians about our current and future population levels; confidence needs to be built and trust must be earned. Without community permission to move forward, the population growth that business and policymakers are calling for will not be delivered. Simon Webb is the Research Director for Parker & Partners a bipartisan public affairs firm and for Ogilvy Illumination, the research practice of Ogilvy Public Relations Australia. Comments (169) blax5 : 26 Dec 2010 10:46:50am In an age where we need to build desalination plants to reliably accommodate the population that we already have it is lunacy to allow willy nilly population growth. These desalination plants are very expensive, the water will also be very expensive. Together with electricity price rises and paying for the carbon footprint of these additional people, the upwards pressure on wages and pensions will be enormous. We cannot let people in other countries determine how many desalination plants we need to build - and pay for, because these immigrants do mot contribute, do they. RussJ : 25 Dec 2010 7:35:29am Australia needs to start choosing Australian