Well, gosh, we might start with, as a nation, obeying our own laws and the internatonal laws (and agreements) we are signed up to. "Problem" solved.

Again then, so that the nationalist idealogues on this site can have something to froth at the mouth about:

Under Australian Law and International Law a person is entitled to make an application for refugee asylum in another country when they allege they are escaping persecution. Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution". People who arrive on our shores without prior authorisation from Australia, with no documents, or false documents are not illegal. They are asylum seekers-a legal status under International Law. Many Asylum seekers are forced to leave their countries in haste and are unable to access appropriate documentation. In many cases oppressive authorities actively prevent normal migration processes from occurring. 'Illegals' are people who overstay their visas. The vast majority of these in Australia are from western countries, including 5,000 British tourists.

And in say, Iraq and Afghanistan, there are no queues for people to jump. Australia has no diplomatic representation in these countries and supports the International coalition of nations who continue to oppose these regimes and support sanctions against them. Therefore, there is no standard refugee process where people wait in line to have their applications considered. Few countries between the Middle East and Australia are signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention, and as such asylum seekers are forced to continue to travel to another country to find protection

Australia is not off-loading its responsibilities to Indonesia. Like all other countries affected by people smuggling it is endeavouring to work in partnership with its neighbours to control the problem. There is international cooperaton to detect and deter people smuggling, does that mean that all of the countries involved have 'off-loaded' their responsibilities too?

A media report said that Indonesia is hampered in its action against people smugglers because conspiring to smuggle people is not an offence in that country. That is something that needs rectification, quickly, to save hundreds of lives. Is Australia doing wrong in suggesting to Indonesia that there is a gap in its laws that encourages criminals to take advantage?

From the article “Such little concern was held for the welfare of asylum seekers and refugees that people taken to the Pacific Solution camp in PNG in 2001 were placed at great risk.”

One has to observe, these “migrants of economic opportunity” showed little to no concern for their own personal welfare in the first place.

Presumably the example of the 14 year old girl, I can only assume she was put “in harms way” by her parents.

“Many of the people we have damaged are now living among us with the problems we gave them. Some may never recover”

maybe we should have shipped them back from whence they came…

but as the old saying goes : Volenti non fit injuria

“While it is important that Australia maintains control of its borders it is vital to remember that the boats arriving contain human beings who are likely to have already faced persecution and suffering”

And many who are simply pursuing their sense of “entitlement” to take advantage of the economic opportunities which they will enjoy once here. Without respecting their “obligation” to apply for proper visas, in an orderly manner.

Ultimately “Mee-Too” Krudds “Indonesian Solution” will look like Howards “Pacific Solution”… because

it is the only solution

and anything else could cost him an election

because it is what the wider Australian community (you know, those who pay taxes and cast votes, beyond the demented activist lobby) see as necessary and want.

*We must also urge Indonesia to become a signatory to the Refugee Convention.*

Lol Bronwyn, now why on earth should the Indonesians be so stupid?
The 1951 Convention is 50 years out of date and around the world it
is largely being misused, by economic migrants, who seek a cushy
Western lifestyle. Meantime the real refugees remain forgotten
in refugee camps around the world. Our focus should be on them.

According to today's West Australian, the 78 asylum seekers
plucked out of the water by the Australian navy, had drilled holes
into their boat and then used a satelite phone to ring the
Australian maritime authorities for help. I guess the assumption
was, once on an Australian boat, life would be sweet.

Whilst we have so many gullible suckers in Australia, those with
money and a few brains will keep devising ways to get around our
system with impunity and play us for fools.

Amazingly neither Susan, Bronwyn or CJ are able to justify why
those with the money to pay smugglers in a boat race, should be
considered for settlement in Australia, ahead of those stuck in
refugee camps.

I guess when the heartstings are tearing, rational debate does
not come in to it.

I could be wrong, but I've yet to see anyone post that we should
take no refugees. Its the boatrace problem that people object to.

Its being taken for a sucker that I certainly object to.

Well finally something I can agree on with Yabby. The problem with the left is that they have really deceived themselves in believing they are taking the high moral ground that somehow they are the compassionate ones and everyone else is racist, hateful or ignorant. Already we see the outright manipulative tactics used by these illegals. I wonder if the illegals have read the lefts handbooks. They know if they can use women and children to get their way they will do it. The worse part of this is that many legal queue waiters are suffering bad if not worse than these people without the publicity.

What a trashy load of claptrap. I have no great affinity for the Howard government, but they were miles ahead on immigration, despite the children overboard rubbish. The current flood of Tamils have no right to asylum, they started and lost a war in their own country, we don't want them doing the same in Australia.
Terrorism is like a cancer, one single cell can destroy the whole body, do you really believe there are no terrorists among the thousands of refugees coming out of Afghanistan and Pakistan?
You also failed to mention the abnormally high proportion of refugees that are now receiving disability pensions thanks to the Australian taxpayer. I can't help but worry that some of that will be used to carry out terrorist attacks in Australia in the future.