I do believe we should be in control of our refugee intake, rather than criminal organisations, that charge a family as much as $15-20,000.00 for a one way day trip, on a rotting hulk, that too often ends in tragedy!
I also have issues, on what impoverished families might have to endure, to "earn" the money needed to pay for a one way boat trip; but particularly, if that one way destination may be the bottom of the ocean!
We can be more generous in our intake for genuine asylum seekers! Particularly, for those much more deserving, third generation refugee camp dwellers, where their living conditions may well be much more primitive, than those on Manis Island!
We also need far better more accurate means to validate claims.
We have space age non invasive lie detectors!
Why aren't we using them?
Senior public service egos perhaps, that make them believe they are somehow superior, to the latest, most modern technology?
Moreover, getting in can't simply and automatically include family reunion! That's part of the pull factor!
And if some return to visit home, when it's safe to do so, then maybe permanent family reunions ought to be undertaken/mandated in those locations, that some refugees, apparently believe, are now safe to visit?
I mean and lets face it, every successful and safe return, opens up a place and space for a genuine refugee, who may be just as much, or far more deserving!
Rhrosty.

Lexi, don't be patronising.

The 'boat' people fly into Indonesia, destroy their passports and pay criminal smugglers thousands of dollars to make the trip.

Each one of these inherently phony 'asylum seekers' displaces a real asylum seeker rotting in a camp somewhere.

Australia should set a target of refugee intake and turn anyone else who subverts the system back; or incarcerate them.

Right now the utter incompetence of this government which could not run a chook raffle combined with the self-indulgent ideology of the greens has created a pull factor which is irresistable to entrpreneurial types who want to get on the gravy train run by these idiots in government until September.

One thing I and the majority of sensible Australians are sick of is superior hand-wringers who are making Australia a sucker for criminal gangs and faux refugees the vast majority of whom are Muslims who will want to change Australia to Sharia.

Another thing, the current cost of this racket is about $1.5 billion per month; enough to get Gillard's NDIS up and running; but of course you people couldn't give a rats about that and Gillard only brought it up to wedge Abbott anyway.

Could you people sink any lower and the irony is you lot are always bleating about morality; you wouldn't know a moral if it bit you on your backsides.

To Lexi and the others do gooders I have 2 simple questions for you.

The Jews during ww2 were whole families not just the young men in the family.

The Syrian refugees are mostly women and children or elderly, not young men.

In Africa the refugees are mostly whole families not just young men.

The refugees in Myanmar are mostly whole families not just young men.

1) CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE GET MOSTLY BOATS WITH 95% MEN ON THEM?

2) Can anyone justify the UNHCR budget of $3.7 Billion to look after approx 25,000,000 refugees worldwide BUT we pay almost that much to look after not even .5% of that number.

To speegster - Quote "over 90% of asylum seekers who arrived by boat were found to be genuine refugees in 2011-12." If someone destroyed there documents you can't really check who they claim to be therefore they for purposes of expedience get approved, remember these are the clowns who said Cap't Emad was a legitimate refugee.

Marylin please have all of these asylum seekers stay in you house, I bet you would not consider it at all
If I pay and head towards Japan I dare say I would immediately be turned around and sent back from where I came from, regardless of the boat leaking.
Marylin I do accept your opinions but you must accept others with a differing view point.
I am positive that if you asked most Australians what they actually think about the asylum seekers, most would come up with not welcome here, join the genuine people waiting to come in by legal means, these people to me are most welcome.
Perhaps later on when you become a second rate citizen to men, you may then agree with what people are worried about.
Do ordinary people in other countries being blown to bits in the name of war concern you, obviously not, but all these illegals arriving and drowning do, if I am classed as a psycho then that is their opinion, but killing is not on my agenda at all, but asylum seekers by leaky boats should return home and join the genuine refugees, then we are all happy.
Marylin this particular subject you must love as many other writers in other papers disagree with you, but one always get the opinion that you are right, but are you?

Dear cohenite,

The art of reasoned, intelligent argument is a
skill not easily acquired. When and if you do
acquire it -
I shall be happy to respond. I'm not interested
in taking part in mud-slinging or personal
insults. Go talk to kindred spirits who have the
wisdom to agree with you.

Cheers.

I think future generations will learn in school how the ALP was the first political party in Government that caused a war emanating from Australia.