*BTW ; short-term overstayers are not included in the
given figures*

Err, that is less then two weeks, Lexi, so very short term.
I see it all the time, with backpackers. They come to Australia,
fall in love with a local, shack up with them then really don't
want to go home.

Some would indeed have been here for a few years. They cost
the Govt nothing.

*All workers are required to have a tax file number.*

So 579, what number would you like? Tax is still deducted from
their wages, even if the number is false.

Dear Yabby,

Actually, they cost the government a great dealand I quote
from the Herald-Sun link that I cited earlier:

"Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria chariman, Sam Afra said
illegal residents attracted little of the outrage associated
with boat people, despite taking jobs and housing, using
public services, and not paying taxes. He said it was far too
easy to stay here if you knew how to "work the system."

"To have one in three who have been here more than 10 years...
suggests something's wrong with the system."

"Nobody's talking about it. It is a problem, and the question is,
don't you think the damage justifies putting more resources
in (to find them."

"He said the involvement of illegals in criminal and other
dubious activities also sullied the reputations of legal
migrants."

"Illigeal immigrants have also beein involved in drug cartels,
sexual slavery, and fraud. Illegals accused of guarding
marijuana crops in Melbourne and regional Victoria were among
43 people arrested last year in raids focusing on a $400 million
crime syndicate."

"A charter flight to deport 76 illegal...from Malaysia and
Indonesia, busted picking fruit in Mooroopna las year,
cost taxpayers $100,000."

"Australian Human Rights Commission president..., said it was
important to remember many more overstayed visas, or arrived
by plane and sought asylum, than arrived by boat."

But hey - if you don't believe the Herald Sun investigation -
and the fact that it found that nearly 60,000 people - is in
the country unlawfully sparking renewed calls for a crackdown.
That's fair enough - just don't be surprised if from now on
you shall subsequently be ignored.

Dear Luciferase and 579,

I'm pleased that there are voices of reason left
on this thread. We do tend to walk a precarious path
in ensuring free and uncensored information is
available - as the WikiLeaks controversy
has shown us. Some powerful lobby groups and pollies have
firm views in the matter (including conservative posters)
and don't hesitate to express them. The person seen to be
upholding the right of freedom of access is often the
target of personal and vitriolic attacks usually from those
challenged or embarrassed by the information itself.
Ah well - that's par for the course. As no doubt the comments
that will follow will show.

Deary me, Lexi, the Murdoch press would love readers like you,
who suck in ever word without question. Don't you think that the
people quoted in that story each have their own little axe to grind?

The press thrives by making stories sound controversial, or people
would not bother to read them.

I remind you that when the Govt tried to introduce the Australia Card
in 1985, there was public outrage. People felt that it was an
infringement of their civil liberties. It never got anywhere. Well
sorry, but without an identity card of some sort, you will have some
local illegals, as its much harder to catch them. That was the
public's choice, fair enough.

The fruit and veggie industry survive on backpackers, legal or illegal.
Aussies don't want the jobs. Without them, you would eat alot more
Chinese food, for growers would go out of business due to lack of
willing labour.

These people still pay tax, its deducted from their wages. They just
don't get a refund. They get no medicare, no dole cheque, no housing
subsidies, no baby bonus, no childcare assistance, no free language
training, no free ipods, unlike boat people, who cost us a frigging
fortune, as they claim their rights.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The UN 1051 Convention
is 60 years out of date and is full of loopholes, exploited by anyone
who can tell a good story. There is a simple solution. Take all
refugees from refugee camps around the world. They would not be
there, if they were not genuine refugees. They are the people who
really need help, many have nothing. Unlike those who push their
way in through the boat trade.

People arn't silly, they know what's going on. Apart from the
gullible of course, who live in their own little world of fairyfloss

The subject as always is submerged in emotions.
Yabby is right, I fought my party at the intrusion on privacy the Australia Card would have been.
Labor, intends to introduce it by stealth.
As a medical records/entitlements card.
We do not live in the same world we did when we beat the AC, privacy is far harder to control.
But just as every thing from banks to almost any one wanting to know who we are, wrongly but insistently demands our drivers license we will rue the new card.
I understand and now except we must fight fraud, so some of our privacy will go.
And that those the system targets will still gain false ID.
can we look at these points.
Is it true most Australians want the boats stopped.
Is it also true both major sides say they too want this.
Then it must also be true the many are not getting their wants.
The minority's are.
And government and opposition could, with the will, act.
In not acting minority's rule.
Abbott, due to polling and concerns within his party will put on a new face next year.
He may well change the NO NO NO to say ok lets try it.

Lexi,
While I agree with what Yabby says, I conceed that there are a number of illegals here that have just stayed on for years after their visa had run out. Some have been here for many years and i haven't seen the numbers of long term overstayers, from DIAC, for quite a while, but certainly there is not 60000 illegal 'refugees' as you said in your first post. They are illegals pure and simple. Now to get legitimate work and participate in our society they have to engage in the criminal activity of aquiring false tax numbers and medicare cards, etc.

I feel sorry for the girls that were lured here under falsehoods and end up in brothels, but the rest I have no sympathy for and they are wide open for exploitation by unscrupulous employers and landlords.

Our laws are a joke. The article mentioned one bloke who was illegal for years and now has permanent residence. I recall another migrant who was convicted of drug dealing and after prison he appealed his deportation and won the right to stay because he had fathered a couple of kids here.

The question has to be asked, just how far do we go in apprehending the overstayers? We could clamp right down but that would make us a police state and the tourist industry would suffer greatly and us all inconvienienced.

I do not have symphaty for any illegal that deliberately sets out to deceive us.