Frank Brennan: "Though many refugee advocates are strong opponents of the new Christmas Island facility, I have continually conceded to government the place of such a facility in a border protection strategy aimed at isolating and detaining “unvisa-ed” boat arrivals until initial screening can occur, permitting immediate return of those with demonstrably unmeritorious asylum claims, and facilitating health and security checks of those asylum seekers whose claims will take some time to process."

Boazy: "ITS NOT TOO LATE FOR US... to learrnnnnnnnn about what unfettered uncontrolled, easy access by foreigners will do to this country."

jeff_k: "You and your leftist comrades think we can have open doors to just anyone who jumps in a boat?"

Did you hard-hearted xenophobes actually read the article before launching in to your rants? Prof. Brennan didn't advocate "unfettered uncontrolled, easy access by foreigners" nor "open doors to just anyone who jumps in a boat" - just a more humane and rational way of dealing with desperate refugees.

Incidentally, Boazy - Frank Brennan is a Christian whose life work seems to me much closer to that advocated by Jesus, than the sort of hateful and mean-spirited preaching and ranting that you engage in daily. If more Christians were like Frank Brennan, I'd have absolutely no problem with their religion.

Under the current government immigration rates have increased to the highest numbers in Australian history, yet people still insist on linking their worries about migrants, refugees or otherwise, with the Labor Party.

That ignorance and fear go together is old news, but how the belief that we're flooded with foreigners can be blamed on the party that's been out of government for the decade of highest immigration is beyond me.

A balanced and thoughtful article from Brennan. Policy towards asylum seekers has improved somewhat in recent years (we’re no longer imprisoning children indefinitely) but the “pacific solution” remains an expensive way of deferring the inevitable decision about what to do with these genuine refugees – which most of them are.

I agree that most unauthorised arrivals should be detained while their identity and status are checked and their health verified, but this should done as expeditiously and humanely as possible. These peiople are not criminals. It’s grotesque that we should use harsh treatment as a deterrent or punishment. And while it is necessary to keep new arrivals separate from the general population, what possible purpose is serve by keeping the thousands of kilometres, except for the baleful psychological and symbolic message it sends to arrivals and citizens alike?

plerdsus

"The fact that the overwhelming majority of illegal immigrants are economic refugees is not surprising considering the difference in standard of living."

This statement indicates a gross ignorance of world affairs. It is offensive to suggest the Sri Lankans, Rohinyans, Iraqis, Afghanis, West Papuans and the overwhelming majority of asylum seekers who have sought Australia's protection in recent years are merely shopping around for a better life. These people have escaped horrific situations. They have endured the terror of witnessing atrocities being committed on family and community members and have finally fled in fear of their lives. They have not left everything behind and risked their lives to cruise around looking for economic advancement.

"We are already taking a larger proportion of refugees per head than almost any other country."

This is incorrect. We have an annual quota of 12 000 and in fact rarely get anywhere near that number. Of the eight countries that have a quota, Australia's per capita intake is indeed second. Of over 70 countries who accept refugees however, Australia on a per capita basis is ranked 38th. Of the 29 developed countries accepting refugees, Australia ranks 14th. When considering we are bringing in about 160 000 immigrants a year, our refugee intake is miserly to say the least. As a member of the Coalition of the Willing, we have helped create 4 million Iraqi refugees and yet we are spending billions of dollars to keep them out of Australia. Huge numbers of these are professional people who could help alleviate our skills shortage. Not only are our policies mean and self-centred, they actually make no economic sense.

CJMorgan

"Incidentally, Boazy - Frank Brennan is a Christian whose life work seems to me much closer to that advocated by Jesus, than the sort of hateful and mean-spirited preaching and ranting that you engage in daily. If more Christians were like Frank Brennan, I'd have absolutely no problem with their religion."

Hear, hear!

You are right on the money with your assessment Frank.
Its a no brainer.
I am amazed that any thinking Australian would question what you say.
Surely, in a lucky country such as ours a little bit of compassion is not such a big ask, irrespective of our legal human rights obligations?

YINDIN mate.. I watched 'The Bra Boys' movie last night.. very educational... if you think the indigenous people had a hard time..check THIS out...

The 'oligachy' of Squatocracy (you know..that mob which mainly took your land) made a LAW to harrass the surfers at Maroubra..they enacted a law which said "Only those who wear SKIRTS can surf"... believe it...or not. So, the surfers came down with skirts, bonnets and all manner of girlie clothing :)

The film opens with an account of Captain James Cook.. who arrived with his 'thugs'..and when confronted by some Aboriginals at the beach, ordered his men to open fire..and duely claimed the land for England......you blokes should have went and waited till Cook was watching the hoisting of the flag and overwhelmed them with numbers..killed the bloody lot.

To all those who are picking on my 'uncaring' views.. this is what I'm getting at. You might refer to the 'under new managment' screen shot from the "Lebo Thugs" video (still on youtube) with the Lebanese flag superimposed across a map of Australia.

I'm all for the 'humane' treatment of would be assylum seekers to.. but here is how it works..

1/ People come..
2/ Some are rejected as genuine...
3/ The 'refugee industry' swings into action, and those seeking to promote their political party (Socialist Alliance/Greens/Democrats) refuse to accept the umpires decision and turn such rejections into a cause celebre'
4/ The government reacts..the community is polarized..
5/ Stupid solutions such as Nauru are found.....which make it all worse
6/ They then make a 'Christmas Island' approach which is what they should have done AT THE BEGINNING.

You cannot escape the truth that many people USE the whole refugee situation for political purposes at any cost. Also..that any perception of 'easy access' will result in a flood.....as it began to trend to, of country shoppers as well as genuine assylum seekers (who amazingly morph into country shoppers)

Remember..the Lebanese Muslims who are saying "Under new management" are the offspring of those 'assylum' seekers who fled the Lebanese civil war.