Hasbeen:

...Something more constructive is the simple answer to illegal immigration (boat people)!

...Lets look to the Americans who have been dealing with the problem longer than most; at least more realistically than most, being the major partner of the porous Mexican border.
Australia is foolish not to follow the simplicity of our American cousins. We can solve the illegal immigration problem, the skill shortage problem, high wages impact on inflation problem, and (sort-of) comply to our treaty obligations with the UN by offering a limited “corridor” entry visa. This is simply achieved by not offering citizenship to illegals at all.

...This type of visa will offer the right to work at negotiated rates in factories alongside Australian residents, providing the impact to the locals is negligible and can be seen not to impact on wage levels necessary for the local permanent population.

...If we are smart, Australia could restart its manufacturing base by capitalising on this cheap labour and keep illegals happy; keep Australia supplied with a continuous supply of cheap labour for industry; allow Australia to continue with its welfare system as it exists, (which includes paying retirees liveable benefits), and Julia can continue parading around looking like she is half useful and successful.

Dear Hasbeen,

I get my information from the Parliamentary Library in Canberra. Which to most people is considered a reputable source but of course to you it's "propaganda." Not all of us rely on what the radio "shock jocks" tell us or what the Opposition has to say.

Try googling "Boat arrivals in Australia since 1976" and under the table of contents clicking onto the chapter entitled, "A balancing
act." You may actually learn something. Although I'm not going to hold my breath.

@diver dan:

In the lower house, you had the option of just voting 1 for the candidate of your choice (in which case your vote is exhausted as soon as that candidate is eliminated and therefore is not directed towards any other candidate). Otherwise, you had to number each candidate in order of preference, which you can do on the basis of thinking about it, or by following the how-to-vote card of your favoured candidate. It's called optional preferential voting, and it's up to you whether or not you wish to allocate preferences and where they go.

I think maybe you need to do something about your own "ignorance of the voting system".

the Parliamentary Library in Canberra.
Poor Lexi, do you really rely on that outfit for factual info ?

Individual is a fan of Alan Jones, the John Laws of intelligence.

PS.

As preferences come in, it is starting to look as though the seat will go to the greens, so this has been a moot discussion, but still interesting.