"johncee1945" re the black list - what rubbish: if that was the case the church of rome would not be descending on Sydney like a plague of locusts in July for the 'World Youth Day' presided over by the panzer pope.

It all come down to the simple old rule of banking: you don't loan money who really need it:

likewise, you don't allow individuals into a jurisdiction who are likely to use that entry to the jurisdiction to avoid normal channels of entry.

Australia doesn't exist as a sponge to absorb the disadvantaged of the world (from cultures which are less inclined to provide for welfare due to overpopulation), if it was to become thus it would not be in a position to provide aid and asylum to those who need it, but will have to be self absorbed in dealing with its own difficulties.

What an astounding lack of knowledge about world history - especially the last 400 years.

I always assumed people who are literate acquired this skill from reading broadly - as well as writing.

I'm clearly wrong.

Tom Calma should have been kicked out with the other Howard appointees after the election loss.