of population size that I want to bring up. The first is the idea that we need to keep importing skilled workers to reach our economic potential. This merely lets big business and government off the hook because if they import "cheap off the shelf workers ... they do not have to take the time and effort to train" them. This act beggars the nations from which we get the skilled workers and belittles and down-skills the Australian training networks. The other issue which must be discussed is that of waste. Every day every adult produces about 2 litres of urine and approximately 500 g of faeces. This have to be disposed of in a safe and environmentally safe way. At the same time every adult uses approz 25 litres [or more] of water through drinking, washing and preparing food, not to mention the water used by industry. This water has to come from somewhere: rain or desalination. Let us remember that ours is the driest continent on Earth, excluding Antarctica. I hope that there will be some common sense in our population debate when everyone has taken these figures into account Rashid : 23 Dec 2010 10:25:47pm Brain--Isn't it ironic that many "students" come here from overseas to acquire skills -- even such as Cooking and Hair-dressing, let alone graduate and post graduate studies. And yet, Australia lakes its own in-house skilled force to cater for the economic boom! Some thing does not add up, does it? Your statement