Mr CAMPBELL —My question is addressed to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. I draw the minister's attention to comments he has made in recent times—several times, in fact—that he supports a 23 million population as a plateau for Australia. Is he aware that to achieve 23 million by 2020 we would have to revert to zero net immigration tomorrow?

Mr RUDDOCK —I am not aware that I have said what the member has suggested. What I have said is that my understanding, from the demographic studies that have been made available, is that, if we continue with an immigration program in its present size in the foreseeable future—to 30 years—we will have a population of 23 million and it will have plateaued by that time. The further observation I have made is that I do not believe 23 million would be a level of population which would cause undue concern in the Australian community. That is the nature of the com ments that I have made when I have been asked on a number of television programs to comment, and I repeat them here.