There is no doubt that the UN convention is hopelessly out of date, that it relies too much on the subjective views of claimants and more than anything has been repeatedly used by those who wish to game the system to achieve an immigration outcome rather than to
seek "refuge".

The biggest losers here are the Greens and their fellow travellers who have been playing the compassion card well past its useby date because now even those who are genuinely persecuted are considered to be scammers trying to game the system.

An Indonesian boat with an Indonesian crew decides to just pop over to Australia. Pray tell Lionel why we have to accept that boat?
Also the Tampa collected people in peril who promptly threatened the Captain into changing his course to where they wanted to go. Perhaps you can tell me their attributes to be our fellow citizens Lionel.
First thing take the lawyers out of the equation and see how easy it is to get some sense back into this debacle.

It is a bitter irony that some of the asylum seekers come from countries where the Australian military, in cahoots with the warmongering Americans, is using military force against them.

If we contribute to the reasons why they flee their countries then it seems to me that we have some obligations to look after them should they turn up here.

Of course, if Australia abandoned its ridiculous, servile 'All the way with the U.S.A.' policy we might be able to see the stupidity and irrationality of some of our policies.

We should be dropping the politically correct 'asylum seeker' that has been used very cleverly by the victim industry of lawyers and advocates with their snouts in the trough of taxpayers' money.

They are illegal immigrants.

Info below copied from Australian AUSAID Government website:
Australia has invested $1,378 million in Indonesia over the previous three years. Our investment has contributed to important development results including:
•connecting approximately 623,149 people to piped water systems and over 110,217 people to basic sanitation or a sewerage connection
•creating around 330,000 new school places, by building or extending 2,000 junior secondary schools
•ensuring an additional 56,713 births were attended by a skilled health worker and providing training for 5,365 health professionals.

More on results can be viewed under the ‘See our results’ tab above.
......................................................................................................................................

Why are we contributing these funds when all we need do is throw open our borders? The Indos can make a killing (pun intended) from the leaky boat travel industry and we can spend the money on resettling these poor misunderstood refugees. Identity and background checks no longer required. No more lengthy expensive legal processes funded by the taxpayer. (Big saving) A few upset lawyers maybe, but we all must make sacrifices ...

So, no more detention (more saving) but also no immediate Government welfare - rather similar welfare entitlements New Zealand citizens attract on moving across the ditch. That would be fair. So either "refugees" live off savings short term or find work. (HUGE saving) Finding labour for seasonal or unpopular jobs would become a thing of the past ...

Housing? Well - you come here uninvited - take your chances. Join the queue like the rest of the populace. There's a park, buy a tent.

Oh .... You don't want to be here anymore? WHAT A SHAME!

Why wouldn't we attract every man and his dog wanting a good life - on the teat of the Australian welfare system in many cases - because it's a better deal than working where they came from? Be interesting how many "Asylum seekers" would suddenly find the 'safety' of our shores so much less attractive if they were required to self fund on arrival or live and work under Federal directive for the first 2 years as requirement for permanent residence/citizenship?

divine_msn,

Is that $1,378 million (over three years) correct or a typo?

If it's correct then:

Wow, that's gonna break the bank!