Well just for you Phil, unlike Hawke & Keating, who gave us huge interest rates, [I remember getting 17% on a 4 month deposit], & a freeze on wages, [remember the accord], under Howard;
Interest rates went down.
Employment went up.
Bankruptcies went down.
Wages went up & net incomes went up more.
Taxes went down.
And the bloody boats stopped.

Now if either of the last 2 could claim even a couple of those results there is a fair chance they could still be there.

Now I remember "We will decide who comes to Australia, just use the entry marked 457"

Phil the latest technologies are starting to be based on the current development of chips implanted in the brain. Of course that depends on wireless connection to the internet. When you get your chip implant through which of your oriffices would you like us to connect your fabulous NBN cable.

Phil john howard respected our desire to maintain soverign borders.

David G research envy. Do you realise you are appearing overly familiar with the concept?

Oh you are smart aren't you Phil. You wouldn't be an academic now would you.

The elephant in your argument old chap, is that those 457 folks have to work, & pay tax, & rent. I saw statistics that 80% of boat people are still in public housing, living on welfare after 5 years.

I can see which you prefer, but most of us disagree with you.

Hasbeen
You wouldn't happen to be a middle class redneck now would you?
I'm just a bloke who has traveled and worked in and around some of the countries these "boat people" are fleeing, with a firm grip on reality, that would rather see people that are already living in Australia trained and employed here. It could be helpful to remember some of these "boat people" are coming from countries where Australia has been engaged in war
I make no excuses for the economic refugees and they should not be accepted as anything else. However the majority are found to be genuine and should be treated as such.
Where did you see the statistics for "boat people" ? I'd like to see them myself

imajulianutter
I'd much prefer a cable connected to every house and business, the chip in your head seems not to be able to create well thought and communicated comment
All John Howard did was hi-jack Pauline Hanson's popularity and shut her up with a bit of time in jail