Ozzie, I just read the comments on this page. I wouldn't normally reply to personally targeted nastiness that is so common but your blame of a brain injured man for his injuries is cruel & defamatory. Although it is none of your business, and thankfully medical treatement in Australia is not decided on the basis of fault, I will say that this person was hit on a pedestrian crossing and was not at fault. I did, however, try to make sure that the police told the man who was responsible that no-one blamed him, it was just an accident. These things happen in life. Blame is not helpful for anyone.

As to my articles being forced down your thoat. Don't read them. No-one is forcing you to click on the button when you see my name. You know you don't like me so read something else. It is a subject I have been deeply involved in for the past decade and I write about subjects I have experienced and researched. You are free to write what you want, it's your choice. Writing about refugees attracts abuse from all sides, sometimes there doesn't seem to be much difference between the extreme right and the extreme left. I mostly don't read any of the abuse anymore & I wish I hadn't clicked on these comments.

It's nice you think my articles on Online Opinion have so much influence over front pages of newspapers but I can't see how it is in the interests of Australia to have this subject leading each news bulletin every day, the same thing over and over without substance. This article is actually focused on the severely disabled and the people who take care of them without acknowledgement every day. Maybe you feel the same way about the disabled as you do about refugees but if you want to have a fight with someone about refugees I think you are on the wrong forum. You have provided a good example of why it is hard to get other subjects onto the main agenda.

Susan Metcalfe “But I don't want to read in the news headlines every day about a few desperate people coming on a boat as if it is a national crisis.”

Then don’t bother to read a newspaper

Since Susan is not the editor, she does not get to decide, for all of us what the content of any newspaper or new programme should be.

Maybe what Susan is really saying is her life would be easier and her personal agenda more easily implemented if we were not made aware of those who daily seek to criminally circumvent our migration controls?

It must be noted, Australia has a legal right to police its boarders. That policing has the support of the vast majority of Australian electors and when the criminally inclined flaunt the law, be it economic refugees on the ocean of the drug and alcohol users in our high streets, it makes headlines and it will be reported by those who think it is “news-worthy”, which is, as I said before, something which Susan does not get to decide or censor.

And I agree with Leigh.. but there nothing new in that :- ) he and I both get to vote and whilst we still have freedom of speech we get to express our view…

regardless how some would prefer to see newspapers reduced to that which conforms with their personal view of what they see as suitable for public discussion.

Freedom of expression – the first casualty of socialism and leftwing ideologies.

I suggest if Susan wants to promote an article about acquired brain injuries, she should include reference to it in the lead… rather than tack it onto the end of a whine about Australia opening its boarders economic refugees/anarchists.

As for wobbles notion that it is a plot to deflect from Turnbulls leadership issues.. well there might be fairies at the bottom of my garden too.. but I do not believe in fairies.. so I guess that tells you what I think of such bunkum.

Until the asylum seekers are integrated into society and are employed, they will be consuming funds indirectly from the same welfare pool as the disabled.

The pie is only so big, and I am willing to bet that the posters such as CJ Morgan who are so happy to give it to others probably contribute pretty close to nothing to the pie.

rstuart,

My understanding of the Convention is that bona fide, refugees once processed, have no rights to pick and choose countries. They must wait until a country offers to take them.

I believe, therefore, that the 'rights' of illegals is firmly knocked in the head.

We certainly agree on the burgeoning population problem.

The boat people are few but their cost is astronomical. I would prefer public money helped far more for less. We can never move on to such arguments though as long as some justify millions, upon millions be spent on a few.

What rubbish blogs out here. A boat arrival is the most important thing to talk about? Really? Seriously? Seriously? In the dark corners lurking in the 'shadows' maybe refugee hating is all that is left. Show your names and faces and you could have a look at problems in the real world. Yes I too am at your anonymous level to communicate in the dirty gutter. Yes lets make a mess of our country to get the coalition reelected.