Shadow Minister:

To achieve any program with boat people takes considerable patience and time negotiating with our neighbours. I'm sure that eventually a working solution will be reached to the satisfaction of our politicians and the governments of the neighbouring nations. Look to the Korean Peninsula, after fifty years they're still negotiating. The boat smugglers operate from Indonesia and other Asian countries and we have no jurisdiction in those areas other than negotiation with the governments. And until the boat people are stopped at the point of departure, the problem I'm sorry to say will not only not go away, but will continue and may even escalate. Once the Australian government accepts the arrivals and takes them to anywhere in the Pacific or Indian Ocean, instead of returning them to their point of origin, it acts as a green light for the smugglers to sell their services and poor fishermen in Indonesia will continue to offer their boats for financial gain.

So tell me SM, why don't the liberals have the testicles to
renegotiate the UN 1951 Convention? The rest is just a sticky
tape solution.

Foxy, the Indonesians can rightly point out that these people
want to sail for Australia and as per our agreement of the Convention,
we are obliged to take them. That makes them our problem, not
their problem.

If Australia took all asylum seekers from refugee camps, the problem
would be solved. Gillard got it half way right with the suggestion
of building a refugee centre in the area. But people won't go there,whilst 10'000$ can buy them a ticket to the front of the
queue.

That won't change with all the negotiation in the world. Note the
risks that Mexicans take, in order to obtain a better life in the
US.

Yabby:

It's a universal problem. Mexicans cross the US border because of its proximity. In the Sudan, people fleeing from the fighting cross borders into neighbouring countries. Refugees flee into all countries in Europe. The problem has existed for centuries, and will continue to exist as long as there are conflicts, famine, drought, natural disasters, and a better life beckoning elsewhere. For some reason, we in Australia seem to think that we should be excluded from the problem.

* For some reason, we in Australia seem to think that we should be excluded from the problem.*

Not at all. Most of the time, genuine refugees flee over the
border, they fear for their lives. It is not as if New Zealanders
or Indonesians are fleeing here.

People travel halfway around the world, because their friends have
told them that we offer the cushiest benefits and the best lifestyle.

If we are going to throw 2 billion $ at refugees, it should be spent
wisely and should help genuine refugees, as much as possible. That
is simply not the case right now.

Fact is that most of that money is wasted on a programme which
helps those with the money to get to the front of the queue. That
is hardly fair on genuine refugees, stuck in refugee camps, with
not a cent to their names.

Its pure TV feelgood politics, to keep the emotionally engulfed
in line. Its not rational, or wise, or cost effective. Its not
fair either.

Yabster:

Thanks for a robust discussion. Have a Merry Christmas and All the Best in the New Year!

Big hug.

Lexi,

At least you admit it is a problem. One that we did not have with the pacific solution.

Again:

Fin Year..Arrivals by boat
1999–00.. 4,175
2000–01.. 4,137
2001–02.. 3,039 - Pacific solution introduced.
2002–03.. -
2003–04.. 82
2004–05.. -
2005–06.. 61
2006–07.. 133
2007–08.. 25
2008–09.. 1,033 - Pacific solution removed.
2009–10.. 5,609
2010-11.. 3,392 ytd

How can you with a straight face claim that the flood of refugees is due to anything other than Lahor's policies.