It might be interesting to examine the trend in the size of the boats.
The last two that arrived yesterday carried 110 & 103 people.
This indicates that the boats are getting bigger.
The next step would be to buy a small coastal freighter that is ready
for the breakers and load it up with 1000 people.
The carrying capacity of a ship is proportional to the cube of its length.
$10,000 x 1000 would enable a very substantial ship to be purchased
and leave many millions in the hands of the organisers.

Does anyone imagine that they have not realised that ?
The Greens made the suggestion that a safer method must be found
so why not just arrange for such a ship to make a weekly voyage ?

It makes good business sense.
In case anyone thinks that is fanciful, it has already been done in Europe.

Contd;
It was also done with two ships from Sri Lanka to Canada.

Dear Bazz,

I wouldn't like to interfere or take sides in the debate on the humane-track of immigration (as opposed to the animal-track which I discussed). A society has the right to accept or refuse new members under whatever terms it chooses, so there is an interesting discussion about what those terms should be, with valid perspectives on both sides.

I just wanted to comment on water and food security:
If the situation is so bad, then why not bring water from the flooded north to the parched south? Why not build a system of tunnels, pipes and pumps to connect Australia's northern watershed with its southern?

I heard estimates that this can be done with about $10-billion, just a fifth of the cost of the NBN, so what are we waiting for?

I also find it strange that with shortage of food, farmers are still growing cotton, which is the biggest water-guzzler.

And just one more side comment:

"Irrelevant Piorot, we have to cut back on food production, Julia says so."

- How can you tell that it was indeed Julia who said it - after all, no man could ever see Her yet remain alive?

- But suppose it was indeed Her, then all you need is to eat Her flesh and drink Her blood - you will then never go hungry!

Yuyutsu,
I seriously doubt such a water system could be built for less than
several $100s billions.
There is another catch 22 (isn't there always) and it is that water is
heavy and the pumping costs are so enormous that the government would
go broke getting the electricity to the pumps and paying the bill.
Then the water would be so dear no one would buy it.
You said;
I also find it strange that with shortage of food, farmers are still
growing cotton, which is the biggest water-guzzler.

I don't think that it is as simple as that.
I saw something that Barnaby Joyce said about it, the water used was
only a small percentage of the total flow. Anyway we need clothes.

You said;
"Irrelevant Piorot, we have to cut back on food production, Julia says so."
Well that was a bit tongue in cheek, but "It is the government I lead".

The bottom line is we have to reduce our water use and as a result
reduce our food production.
The reduction will be deleted from our exports of course so someone
else will go hungry, not us.

Hi Banjo,
Maybe we should all walk in the shoes of the people who are desperate enough to leave their homes and seek a better life here.
Criticism is null and void if all people do is criticise and cry "send them back home"
I realise that among the 'triers' there are some 'shonky' folk trying to enter this country illegally, but I think you/we would understand that "they" are not all the same.
NSB

Hi Noisy Scrub Bird,

How about taking a walk in this lots shoes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeSgBL7gpAk
Their faces seem no less traumatized.

Actually if the truth be told --and it often isn't -- there are many similarities between this lot and yours.
The chief being, they're both afraid they're going to miss out on the bargains!