Individual,
From memory, the only time illegal air arrivals out numbered the boat arrivals was when the previous government virually had all the boats stopped. Check DIAC for details.

Excuse me, but are we talking about herds of cattle or are we talking about human beings?
Someone at one stage let a heap of convicts come in to this country, where they were eventually set free.
Most of us are descended from the early settlers, and the rest of us migrated here to be welcomed with open arms.
Are we all so precious that we think we are the only people who deserved a better life in this country? The attitude shown toward these refugees shown my many many Australians is deplorable, because certain people in our communities have denigrated these desperate people, because they either don't understand their culture, and/or haven't bothered to research their beliefs. The negative attitude of so-called Australians, who just cry "send them back to where they came from" need a big kick in their rear ends. I say "send yourselves to their country and see what these folk are fleeing from, and see if you change your attitudes for the better", to all of the detractors out there, I say "Shame on you", you are very un-Australian.
Posted by one, very ashamed, Australian.
NSB

NSB; the rules have changed !
We are now in the zero growth era and we do not have enough water to
produce our food.

Forget all the feely good stuff, it is now time to look at the real world.

Bazz,
I reckon I have a reasonable handle on the World today, and I am not, repeat not, about warm and fuzzy. But what I would like to see is all of the detractors of the current boat people take a trip to the Middle Eastern countries, then see if you change your minds. Maybe we can organise a people exchange program. Now that, my friend would be very interesting, would make a good study I reckon. :)

Enjoy your day,
Noisy Scrub Bird.

NSB, Why can't they fix their own problems ?
Everybody else has to fix their own problems.
Bringing a small percentage of them here will only mean removing those
with a bit of get up and go from their own countries.
A sort of brain drain.

Anyway it is irrelevant the government is now telling the farmers that
they have cut back on food production.
That is the start & finish of it.

Bazz,

"Why can't they fix their own problems?"....very funny of course if you're an Iraqi or Afghan refugee....their "problems" are directly related to the fact that the U.S. led coalition bombed the crap out of them.

And African refugees are often fleeing situations where the IMF and World Bank gave jumped into bed with the corrupt ruling elite and robbed the general population of their means.

The West is one huge robber baron who wouldn't know ethical commerce if it jumped up and bit it on the.....