Examinator,

“The superficiality of many Australians' thinking never ceases to amuse. Many are fearful of 78 boat people because of what they represent but don't think any further.”

[ Fearful is perhaps not an accurate description –a better one might be -- not keen]
As in :Many Australians are--not keen-- on the 78 boat people coming here.

And, it seems to me that the Indonesian govt is not keen on them either !
In fact , I’d wager that if you took a poll Asia-wide, very few countries would be keen on having them come ashore.

But then of course there is something called the higher moral ground: the right thing, that only far sighted beings –like you.– can perceive.We are lucky indeed to have such (highly amused) seers in our midst to show us fearful superficialites the way.

PS: the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi always had a smile on his face.I imagine that's how you must look-- ceaselessly amused as you are --by our lesser concerns!

A visa overstayer isn't a residence seeker. When you catch a visa overstayer you fine them and throw them out. Not long ago the 'Cougar girl' was one such, she was from Canada. They locked her up and sent her packing. If these people who come on rickety boats didn't claim asylum then they'd be immediately tossed out just like anyone landing here on a plane with their papers out of order; they are not being treated differently in this respect. It's the asylum seeking bit that makes them unique as that carries an intention to make Australia their permanent home. So this isn't about who we allow to "overstay" here but rather who we allow to live here as permanent residents, and whether people that have by-passed our formal channels should be afforded that priviledge. False comparison.

Stupid article for someone who does not understand the issues

The issue is Australia accept the same number of refugee, not matter the number of asylum seeker who arrive by boats
- so the more people who arrive by boat, the less we let in through official means. This makes the boat people cue jumper, who pay smugglers thosands of dollar to jump to the front of the cue

Your point of migrant intake is completely useless, if I was looking to become a refugee, I would choose Australia too, with the higher pay, medicare, training scheme and dole.

Other issues are
- people die on these leaky boats
- the only winner in this are people smugglers
- there have been many cases of refugees being killed or raped by smugglers

I cannot believe there are still clueless people, who thinks we should encourage people to come to Australia by illegal means

Yabby,

>>These 78 hire people smugglers, some holes are round drilled in their boat, they use their satelite phone to ring Australia for help, even though off Indonesia. Now they are blackmailing us, refusing to get off the boat, if not taken to Aus.<<

And, if they do come anyway, your solution is what? Throw then in the sea? Offload them to a country with lots of problems? Process them for years on end at Christmas Island? At some point, your bluff will be called and your argument gets mugged by reality. There's no one easy solution to this despite your I'll-huff'n'puff-and-blow-you-back-to-where-you-came-from approach.

>>I can assure you one thing, if we do take them, we'll be the laughing stock of Asia and will deserve the title of "Dumb Australians".<<

Despite your hyperbole, we've only taken 1800 boat people in the past 2 years versus the tens of thousands of unannounced arrivals that European countries have. So, dumb's not the right word. Lucky is a better - lucky that we have a sea border and we're so far from most of the humanitarian hotspots. Which is why, back in the 70s and 80s, we took a better share of the refugees around the world so as to better pull our weight internationally.

RobP, if I do as I please on an Australian aircraft, or anywhere
in Australia for that matter, the cuffs are put on me and I'm
marched off. Blackmail is not accepted in Australia. For some
reason, you've thrown every principle out the window here. I remind
you that under the UN Convention, Australia has no responsibility
to take those 78 and awarding blackmailers first prize, of a cushy
lifestyle in Australia, speaks of spineless and unprincipled
Govt to me.

How many boat people we have accepted in the last two years, has
nothing to do with it. It is our very own Govt, fighting the
boats off with sticks, if you remember correctly.

How many asylum seekers Europe has taken, has nothing to do with it
either. Even the UNHCR concedes that most of them are in fact
economic migrants.

*So, dumb's not the right word.*

Dumb is the right word, if Australia gives in to being blackmailed,
as in this case. What do you suggest, if another boatload ring
Australia for help, whilst in Indonesian waters? Keep sending more
Australian boats and go along with the new ploy for gaining quick
entry?

Most of our asylum seekers come in fairly, ie from refugee camps
etc. If you think that 13'000 a year is too low, well let any
political party suggest it be increased, at the next elections,
so that people can decide.

To just give in to what is dangling in front of you, on today's
tv, to satisfy the bleating heart brigade, is hardly sound Govt policy

I think the only way to get these people off the ship is to pull the plug out and sink it, in Indonesian waters off course.
Then there will be no problem.
These people are no better than pirates.