Surely not Bronwyn. Surely you haven't desserted this thread, mid-discussion....again!?!?

There's a long way to go yet.

At the moment it is looking as though you have no answers for the questions that have been put you, and only one path to follow; the ol' Morgan done-a-runner-when-the-questions-get-too-hard path!

I see you are happily posting away elsewhere on this forum.

Our discussion is developing well. I've answered your questions and put further questions to you. We are not just rehashing the same stuff or exchanging insults with no substance, we are involved in a good whorthwhile exchange. I haven't let kindergarten-kid Morgan and first-grader Fracco corrupt this discussion. So come on, let's go at it...in the same respectful and tactful manner that we have in the past.

Remember this from your post of 24 September:

"So, dear Ludwig, no more retreating to the beach. Come back and participate in the debate you started. :)"

So dear Bronwyn, come back and participate in the debate that you have so passionately engaged in, up until three days ago.

"It shows that with less boat people, the Govt is taking refugees from various parts of the world, including Burma/Laos, who don't have the money to pay bribes, as Afghans and Iraqis do"

Good point Yabby.

This is exactly what Bronwyn's camp should be concentrating on - boosting Australia's offshore immigration program, so that more desperately needy refugees can be assisted in their home countries and brought to Australia where really necessary.

So let's close down the onshore route completely and boost our offshore program greatly, starting off by increasing our international aid effort to at least the UN-recommended 0.7% of GDP.

desserted? ah poo!

deserted |;>/

Dear Ludwig

I knew you'd do this. :) I wasn't 'desserting' anything. It was just that I'd already sent CJ to sleep and the thread appeared to have died.

I'll try and respond to your questions tonight. I'm starting a full time teaching contract soon and won't have a lot of time for OLO in the next few weeks, but I promise I'll get back to you eventually.

Rest assured, any silences from me will be down to time constraints and not an indication, as you like to think, that I'm stumped for responses. :)

Ludwig,
Do I assume that you have now come over to the "Force" from the dark side. i.e. you agree with taking *more* refugees? Oh drat Ludwig now thinks we should have more people in Aust. What? Oh gawd there goes a flying pig!

Ludwig that argument is self defeating or are you into sackcloth and ashes too?

Perhaps these refugees are fearful that they may spend years in a camp.

Anyone who has seen these camps will tell you they are awful places no work bugger all privacy, petty crime, some infiltrators in these camps are really there to profiteer, stand-over/protection merchants, spying for the respective home governments. Fear is the operative word
If they get rejected or even if they're accepted they are often afraid for their family and friends back home.

Can you really blame a father trying to short cuts for their families' welfare....wouldn't you, I have/would and what's more I haven't ever been that desperate. Hope/Pray you never will either.

BTW There is no reason why we don't do several things to improve their lot in parallel.

In the meantime Like CJ it's time for my afternoon grandpa nap.
ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and several more I hope

Cheers pal ;-)

Bronwyn,
While you are at it, don't forget to answer my question.