*We are only talking about just over twenty thousand people in thirty years coming on boats*

Perhaps you should have mentioned how many, in the last 18 months.

For of course the easier it is, the more will come. That is
exactly why so many try in Mexico and Africa, people prepared to
die for the cushy lifestyle.

You have no way, under the present system, of accurately verifying
as to who is genuine and who is not. Yet we know that people
in refugee camps are genuine, or they would not be there.

Your first past the post boat race, for those who can afford it,
is a hopeless way of deciding and extremely unfair to those more
deserving. Its also hugely expensive to Australian taxpayers and
its time it ended and was shut down.

1) “Horus…They didn't tell the government they wanted to go to those countries, those were the countries who offered to help to get the government out of a sticky political scenario”.

Mellom, the LIST was part of the occupiers WE WILL NOT BE MOVED pitch –it was their blackmail note.
As in, we will only leave the ship on condition we get entry to one of these affluent welfare states --- that’s why they bypassed their cultural and linguistic cousins in Tamil Nadu –it wasn’t rich enough for their tastes.

They didn’t need to compile a LIST to tell the Aust govt what countries might accept them (LOL)
The Aust govt knew that better than them -- Kevin Rudd & co had been running around like headless chickens for weeks, calling in favours, begging those countries to bail him out !
And the “offers” that came, came long after the LIST & demands we lodged.

You certainly have a different way of seeing things—or not seeing things.
You’re not one of those who believes there was no refusal to leave the ship ,are you?

2) “and just for perspective. 500,000 thousand people are trying to get over the border from Mexico each year. We are discussing a few thousand at our borders with very different circumstances”

Another interesting point, Mellom-- 500,000 people trying to cross to the USA form Mexico –just as a matter of interest -- are they also ALL refugees –what do you say?

I don't even think Horus or Yabby that you even read or understand what I write. So it's just a waste of time.

the strangest thing about this thread is all the ranting against criminal illegal refugees while supporting a return to currupt deals with bankrupt countries. in this article it points to australian taxpayers money disappearing in grubby deals with unscupulous regimes. but posters here apparently support corruption - you would take australia into ruin! such hypocrites.

The concern is that a refugee can greatly increase his chances of becoming an Australian citizen by engaging the services of criminals. That isn't just wrong, it is abhorrent, and it is also very likely that the criminals are selecting refugees by the ability to pay, not by the humanitarian need.

The situation of refugees is a tragedy, but what is the best way to manage it? A very large sum of money is spent processing the boat arrivals here: Could these funds have been better spent helping refugees in other ways?

Yabby has taken a good deal of time and attention to explain his position. Perhaps his best point is how Australia deals with the international refugee crisis is a democratic choice. For example, I have concerns that Australia's immigration rate is far too high, but immigration policy will only change if enough people are concerned enough to vote for change. Until that happens the most I can do is argue for change.

So, for Australia's refugee policy, the task of advocates is to provide an alternative and convince people to vote for it. But I cannot see you having much luck arguing for an extremely inefficient system that supports organised criminals and selects refugees with the greatest ability to pay them.