Possably the boat people come in large numbers with no return means.
Air people are probably turned around on the spot, without entering AU.\
I think the situation is handled correctly.
There are channels for immagration, if they are not followed, so be it.

Easy: "They lived in Europe for 1000 years and most never even bothered to learn the native language. Only in the last few generation have they actually bothered to learn it. And they complain that they are not treated equally and are treated as outsiders!"

Your being part-Jewish does not excuse you this rubbish. What, pray tell, is the native language of Europe? Do you know of the language called Yiddish (which has a close relationship to German)? Did you know Hebrew had to be reinvented/resurrected around the turn of last century as so few Jews knew it?

Spikey, I think the point about boat and plane arrivals is this: there were plenty of people arriving by plane who then overstayed their (valid) visa. This happens with nationals from many countries including "western" ones. Many of those turned back at airports were not allowed in because they looked to be potential overstayers and for many other reasons. People hopping on leakey boats were another kettle of fish (excuse near pun).

viking13,

<<I think the point about boat and plane arrivals is this: there were plenty of people arriving by plane who then overstayed their (valid) visa...Many of those turned back at airports were not allowed in because they looked to be potential overstayers and for many other reasons.>>

That's not the point at all. The statistics I quote from the Immigration Department's Annual Reports are not about overstayers or (heavens above) 'potential overstayers' (whatever that means!). If a person arrives by air or by boat with a valid visa they are legally entitled to enter Australia (no matter if they 'look' like 'potential overstayers').

The only people who are detained or turned away at point of would-be entry are those without a valid visa. End of story. No amount of wishful thinking or pre-judgments will change that fact. So there has to be a plausible explanation as to why in the popular mind many people think the problem is the 'boat people'.

You are right, however, to object to Sharkfin's racist drivel about the Jews. And you should add EasyTimes whose infantile contribution comes straight from a fascist comic book. What slimy rock have they been hiding under?

Spikey,
Glad you cleared that up about the unauthorised arrivals by air. The key words here are 'refused entry' and although there are exceptions to every rule, I understand that most are simply held until the next available flight back to where they boarded to come here. I think there maybe some onus or obligation on the part of the airline that brought them here. In other words, we do not have to house, feed and keep them like the boat people. Although I do not know what happens if one was to get off a plane and present straight to immigration and claim refugee status. Surely, that scenario is covered someway.

The overstayers (60,000) are of concern as they cannot get legitimate work without a tax number or centrelink payments unless they commit fraud. They are also most vulnerable to unscrupulous employers and others. We catch up with some from time to time but to track them all down would be very costly. I think the number of overstayers will rise in future.

If the air arrivals are held out of sight until deportation the media do not get to see them and the boat people take bigger risks in the leaky boats and more people each time.

DAGGETT: "A green light to excuse the holocaust."

I was not trying to excuse the holocaust, just to try to look at it objectively like an antropologist might to figure out what triggered it.

There's no good looking at it emotionally if you want to figure out what happened and why it happened. We need answers to that.

Banjo: << The accusations of racism by CJM and others is pretty much standard response by supporters of MC >>

No Banjo, I regard someone as racist when they start classifying people in terms of so-called "races", as sharkin does when she refers to ".. the Jews or Germans or any other race". The biological term "race" does not apply to humans, since there is far greater genetic diversity within the so-called races than there is between them. However, the term retains currency among those who wish to classify humanity in essentialist terms - as racists do.

Sharkfin - you're not an anthropologist's bootlace. Look up the difference between "ethnocentrism" and "racism" in any introductory anthropology textbook and you'll see why.

I can't believe that you're still defending your anti-Semitism - the Nazis were entirely responsible for the Holocaust, not the Jews.