*I think we should take the people who are arriving by boat and are judged to be refugees by the usual processes.
That's not 16 million, never has been, never will be.*

So Briar Rose, you have no upper limit. Take the lot, according
to you it seems. Its years ago now, but at that stage an
Australian embassy employee told me that they have around 1 million
applications a year, to come to Australia.

Half a million a year try to get into Europe and a few hundred
thousand a year into USA, all prepared to die to live in the
cushy Western world. You might be in for a surprise!

Fact is that the easier you make it, open the borders and you
would indeed be flooded.

*What do you think we should do about the 50,000 overstayers who've already arrived by plane, with passports, and are living illegally in the country*

How many of those are backpackers, who already have homes in the
Western world, a ticket home and are doing all those jobs that
Australians don't want? We know they are going home sooner or
later and they won't cost taxpayers anything.

Yabby

I will say this s-l-o-w-l-y so you understand.

Backpackers are people who are on holiday in Australia.

Asylum seekers are fleeing their countries.

They are not the same people. Backpackers do indeed have homes to return to. Asylum seekers do not.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/majority-of-asylum-seekers-come-by-air/story-e6freon6-1225888697994

"ILLEGAL boat arrivals are a mere trickle compared to the thousands of people swarming through Australian airports to claim political asylum.

The boat arrivals are more likely to be genuine refugees, they don't receive special benefits nor "carry disease," and the idea they are queue jumpers is open to interpretation.

The information is contained in a Federal Parliament background note which explodes myths about boat arrivals.

"In Australia the vast majority of asylum seekers applying for protection arrive originally by air with a valid visa and then apply for asylum at a later date while living in the community," the note, authored by Janet Phillips, says.

"Estimates vary, but it is likely that between 96 and 99 per cent of asylum applicants arrived by air originally."

Greens leader Bob Brown believes the visibility of boats approaching Australian shores allows politicians to cynically exploit fears of "invasion"."

Severin, I will say it even more slowwwwwly for you.

The 50'000 constantly refered to includes visa overstayers,
ie backpackers and other holiday makers who have not gone
home yet. Some are on 457 visas.

They have a home, they have a passport, they have an airticket.

Dear Steven

the USA situation is very indicative of WHY many of us are outraged at the thought of people trying to come here in that manner.

CHARACTERISTICS of the MEXICAN INVASION.

-It IS an invasion. violence.. criminality... vast breaches of perimeters.

-They DO want power.

a) Aztlan movement. Listen for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwoHiuGMaTM

b) SEIU unionistts. Listen for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elisio+medina+wants+illegals+vote&aq=f

c) Militant anti white hate. Listen for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3MbqupVxMY&feature=related

In the Australian context, the religious/political affiliation of a significant number of 'boat people' translates into... aggressive, loud, anti Australian demonstrations (supported by the equally anti Australian un Australian Greens.)

Look and Listen....for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CURGnpA84qk&feature=related

Monorities attacking each OTHER in Melbourne (Tamils/Sinhalese)

See it with your own eyes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66MHi4NERkQ&feature=related

Yes.. 'refugees' will be an election issue.

I'm with Poirot on this.

It is an issue though which does not seem to go away (or if it does it comes back). The rights and wrongs can be argued endlessly and their are valid points on both sides.

It seems to me that no political party has a proposal to deal with this which covers the main concerns of both sides and I'm not so sure that those concerns are mutually exclusive (at the extreme ends yes, for most no).

My summary of the points as I interpret them- no particular order
- Protection of Australia's interests and the people of Australia getting to make decisions about who gets to stay (and the emu already bolted when it comes to the arrival of my mob)
- Compassion for those who flee circumstances most of us can't begin to imagine
- Concern that many of those arriving are not genuine refugee's but rather seeking a better life
- Concern that by going easier on those arriving by boat we are not being fair to those who wait in overseas refugee camps and use official channels to seek to come here
- Concerns that many arriving here to flee absolute S#%tholes are bringing the cultural baggage with them that made their homelands such horrid places to live
- The numbers arriving by boat are relatively small
- One that's not mentioned often but I think that the cost of maintaining patrol's across our north western shores are not trivial and could be better used elsewhere, likewise for the costs of maintaining detention camps, oversea's processing facilities etc
- A fundamental dislike of having families imprisoned behind razor wire for extended periods and some concerns about the impacts of that on their long term wellbeing as well as their attitudes to Australia

Both major parties have talked of turning sea-worthy boats back. Both have used off shore processing/detention facilities and detention that provides little or no benefit to anyone other than keeping track of people.

TBC

R0bert

Part 2

Are their ways we could be providing training and or employment to people waiting to see if they can stay?

Way's which allow them to experience our culture first hand and see how they like it as well as a chance for us to see how willing and able they are to try and fit in. Are there better options than the extreme's which seem to mark debate today?

I don't know what the answers are but I do find it difficult to believe that our country can't do better both by those in need and for ourselves.

R0bert