Briar Rose,

Given that you concede that the pacific solution worked and complied with the letter of the law, why should it not be re applied to stop people dying on the boats?

The greens and other bleeding hearts are happy with the 5% or so of boat people that go to Davy Jones's locker, as long as the survivors get a cushy welcome.

King Hazza
One of the most significant differences between western liberal democracy and other political systems is that it tolerates its enemies to a far greater extent. This is based in confidence that its superiority is so self-evident that its opponents will not succeed in overcoming it. That is why free speech protects even those with anti-democratic leanings, and why Australians voted against banning the Communist Party. With the arguable exception of Nazi Germany, I can’t think of any liberal democratic society that has chosen to abandon democracy.

All people here must obey the law of the land, and if they stay within those bounds, fundamentalists pose no real threat to our society. So I’m not especially concerned if the odd Sheik Hilali gets here, whether by boat or plane. He’ll never be anything but a marginalised fool.

He'll be a marginalized fool with a few dozen marginalized acolytes happy to act on his words.
Furthermore, marginalized fools have no trouble lobbying councils and politicians to help force their will on others if they pose a swinging vote, or simply have the money or means to threaten or blackmail (eg the Brethren, or the Church in general).

And I am also concerned about the poor neighbors that will have to endure these bastards and tip-toe around all their theological and superstitious prejudices.
Personally, their rights to peace, security and liberty trump the pricks who would take it away.

When it comes to what our society does- tolerating conduct by citizens, and holding similar criteria to potential immigrants are two different things.
To drag out the house analogy again, would be the difference between having a trespasser arrested, or calling the cops to arrest someone you invited inside because their manners were bad and you changed your mind.

@ Rhian

But even “marginalized fools” can inflict much damage:
1) http://tinyurl.com/4rdzoka

2) “Court that the seven men considered violent jihad an integral part of their religious obligations, often referring to themselves as mujahidin and talked about destroying buildings and killing infidels.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/inept-fanatic-benbrika-jailed/story-e6frf7kx-1111118740860

3) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/uk/2005/london_explosions/default.stm

but of course if the damages are to others, it is easy to dismiss it as insignificant and posing “ no real threat to our society".

This is certainly a post where some people are showing their attitude and in many cases their ignorance. Most of the countries in the world are suffering a recession or depression, almost entirely through the mismangement or corruption of the despots who manage to get into the position of management or government, and even Australia and the US are among that group. By the difference of the treatment given to millionaires and to the workers, it is easily seen where the preference lies. The reciprocal imports from our mining exports, destroys our own manufacturing industries, and except for the acceptance that a guaranteed two or three days a week work is accepted as not being unemployed - although they are really unemployed the other two or three days, allows the acceptance of only 5.4% unemployment to stand. Many countries have much worse conditions, even the US and UK. We need a return to the 66.6% top tax, with the first $30,000 tax free, Our country would surge ahead economicly then. We have to kick out our gang of politicians and get free.

Shadow Minister, I don't recall "conceding" the Pacific solution "worked" anywhere.

I have no issue with you or anybody else arguing it as an alternative to withdrawing from the Convention. It's clearly on the opposition's table.

I wonder if you heard the interview with the man responsible for immigration in Malta on Radio National on Saturday morning? They're preparing themselves for thousands of Libyan refugees. His attitude was astounding, compared to what we are used to hearing.

No mention of observing only the letter of the law, just of the humanitarian crisis, of the responsibility to assist. They're bracing for more asylum seekers over the next few weeks than we get in ten years.

We are more than a little precious in this country in our hysteria about boat arrivals.