SPQR,

I was arguing in favour of "science-based" evidence (usually represented by the IPCC)

As opposed to junk-scientific "opinion" disseminated by those connected with big business and right-wing think tanks (and usually delivered by people with little or no scientific knowledge or expertise)

Sorry about that.....

"....it makes no difference whatsoever, who does or does not post their opinions on refugee numbers on this forum."

There you go again! Gotta smile :)

Dear SPQR,

The reality is that I hardly ever watch SBS.
I happened to be switching channels last night
when I caught that particular program. I believe
it's a repeat and was initially filmed some time
ago. It seemed to have a balanced team of Australians
travelling to asylum seeker camps - including Peter
Reith and other conservatives. It made interesting
viewing, especially since a variety of opinions
were being expressed.

As for my taking a break. I did for a couple of days,
but family problems brought me back.
I am sorry that you feel so anti - my
postings on OLO. That's something that I guess I shall
have to learn to live with as I have no intention of
leaving, just yet.

Of course, if I upset you that much
you're under no obligation to read what I post.
I am flattered by your attention. I feel that I
don't really deserve it. You should simply move on
or -
do what I do with certain posters, simply scroll past
my posts. That would solve the problem for you.
However, although I may not always
agree with you,
I welcome your views (within the limits of defamation
and good taste) and feel strongly that on OLO -
we should allow all views to be heard.

I look forward to what else you've got to contribute to
all the concerns, issues, policies, and pre-occupations of
this country. This country has never needed a more positive,
open, and compassionate approach, to differences in opinion,
than now.

Take care.

Loudmouth
<Yes, and I've heard that some refugees come from cultures which balance their boiled eggs on the pointy end ! Horrors>

I enjoyed the humorous comment, Joe, very Funny, but balancing boiled eggs on pointy ends, has nothing to do with over-population, contraception and religious dictatorships. You give me your plan to stop the root causes that cause people to be so miserable that they must get in boats and come across oceans to flee their own countries, risking their lives and their childrens lives. People who have happy lives don’t do that.

One reason, people are coming from these countries is just because they are unhappy places to live in. Remember, how the Russians had to put a wall up in Germany.(the Berlin Wall) Not to keep out people wanting to get in,(because nobody wanted to get in) , but to stop people wanting to flee in masses to the Western, German side.

Forget the bandaids for a moment, how would you deal with the cause of these Problems.

What do you think is causing all the misery in countries? Poverty and over-population, caused by hopeless governments with tyrannical male and fundamentalist, religious, leaders? It’s telling that this refugee problem has only come to a crisis point as the world’s population has hit 7billion. 20years ago it wasn’t happening. But it was always on course, to explode into displaced people with no country or land sooner or later and that's
exactly what we are seeing now.

Empower the women world wide and this won't be a problem in years to come.
So many males in the world can't seem to handle this idea.
Take all the religious beaks out of the bedrooms of the world
they have no business being there. Handle the spiritual side but
butt out of the issue of contraception.

Hi CHERFUL, you're half-right - the point about a refugee-settlement scheme is that people are accepted from many places, and that's fine with me.

The criterion for refugees, genuine refugees, is that they are fleeing persecution or death, and that they have filled in all the appropriate forms. As it happens, it seems that the majority of such refugees are currently in ghastly camps in Africa and the Middle East.

When they get to OZ, they come from many and very varied cultural and political backgrounds and do not, in any way - no more than the migrants of the fifties and sixties - form any sort of common cultural background. So politically, they are no more likely to constitute some sort of cultural subversive body, to attack our 'way of life'.

By definition, refugees are from diverse backgrounds. When they get here, the lucky ones, they pick themselves up and get on with life.

25-30,000 sounds a manageable number to me. On the bus today, I was enchanted by, I think, an Indian mother and child going into the city, and a Somali grandfather and child coming back out - such beautiful children. We should be so lucky - our grandchildren will :)

Joe

CHERFUL, what a brilliant idea! "Empower the women world wide".

You probably think I'm kidding, but men have made such a muck of things for far too long, and continue to make an even a bigger muck of it. Time to let the women of the world have a go - if only it were possible.

Think on it. Men banished from holding the top office in any organisation, in government (in fact ban men from government altogether), of all religious movements (a female Pope, Ayatollah, etc), and of all the world's armed services.
Men will oppose this vehemently of course - but what else could you expect from men. Testosterone-driven purveyors of havoc and mayhem - as amply demonstrated in so many corners of the globe, both now and throughout history. (Egypt, Syria, Somalia, etc, etc, etc.)

I think it would be a marvellous advancement (or experiment at the least), and definitely worth pursuing - but I also think that only the demonstrable and direct physical assistance and support of God could make it happen.
Pity, but that's a bit unlikely in this demonstrably 'ungodly' world.

As for the boats - I think there would be much less resistance to harbouring many more refugees in this country if they were all women, with or without children in tow.
Women are far less threatening after all is said and done, are they not?