“Advocates, who assist or encourage refugees and asylum seekers to seek judicial review of migration decisions, may be liable for the costs incurred under proposed changes to legislation.”

And so they should be. As an immigration lawyer, Dickie has an axe to grind. But the so-called ‘refugees’ and asylum seekers she refers to should not be hampering our judiciary with the aid of such lawyers. Refugees coming here under our orderly program are not affected. The people Dickie is talking about are illegal entrants or people who decide they would like stay after arriving on other forms of short-stay visa. Australia has no responsibility to them except to send them back from whence they came. Thanks to meddling lawyers, this does not happen quickly enough.

Isn't this whole business of litigation so symbolic of modern day society, where an essentially simple matter is expanded beyond recognition, (and funded of course by the taxpayer), mainly to benefit lawyers. Wouldn't it be better to follow our practice up to the nineteen-fifties, sit the applicant down, require them to undertake a dictation test in Scottish Gaelic or similar appropriate language, and, if they fail, deport them as illiterate?

Well said Leigh, as a past Court Advice Worker I challenge all the so called Migration Officers and Barristers to tell the Australian taxpayers just how much they have to pay in costs representing people who have no right to stay in our country after having been assesed many many times as non refugees, this does not apply to genuine refugess who are assessed via the legal system. Whilst they are at it maybe they could tell us how many cases are blocking up our courts and the delay in hearing criminal cases because of the backlog, then maybe how many people are being kept in custody awaiting trial because of the delays, then the cost of medical treatment etc.
A refugee who we regard as a friend tells us that one only has to be honest and tell the authorities who you are and where you come from and you have no trouble getting assessed quickly.

One could only wish this law to be made retrospect. Millions of dollars have been frittered away indecently by those who refuse to accept the Dept Migration's ruling.
It is well overdue.

The proposed Bill will certainly go a long way toward better hiding the Rau/Solon type departmental / whole of Government errors.

The collaborative interference and sabotage in the 'Hao Kiet' Refugees' processing as described by the Vietnamese Community in Australia (PDF 1766KB)recent submission to the Senate Committee Inquiry into the Migration Act would also go unchecked with such a new law.

Let them stay I say;

And Plerdsus has a point: this is an issue that could have been resolved via regulation and the reasoanble application of existing laws. Never before has so much legislation been enacted for so few; add this tripe to excising of various parts of Australia and you get one un holy mess all because a few odd bods want to come here.

Illegal immigration is in real terms a non event

We should be pleased that any one still wants to come here; those that do clearly dont read the papers.

I'm surpised we havent adopted a North Korean solution and try to prevent people leaving - becuase they are - in droves. I fully expcet a "good riddance" - in fact some poster have offered even me a one way ticket to the place of my choosing.

The evidence is clear: most alleged queue jumpers came from places with no bloody queu in the first place and most are genuine. And those not driven mad by this evil system of management will be a great asset to this country.

And why would any one accept at face value the assesment of the Dept of Immigration? I mean to say does any one really think that bunch of proven to be inept public servants have any credibilityy any more?

All I know is I will probably live long enough to see this sick worm in relation to immigration turn.