Your wildly exaggerated figures don't help the discussion SM. Clearly from SPQR we can see the damage done by ramping up the rhetoric on this subject.

People like Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison are responsible for the hysterical view that some people have over this issue. It is an extension of Howard's drawing of the race card(children overboard) in perpetuity.

In terms of local security we may be best served by having better understandings with local powers such as Indonesia, instead of professing that our incoming LNP Gov't will be shooshing boatloads of exploded boat people back to Indonesian waters, as a foreign policy.

This expression of policy is more of a security risk to Australia than a benefit. In addition is is expressed and performed by all on the LNP front bench purely to lather up the masses.
Over an issue that is (for the most part) massively overstated.

Thank you Lexi for your actual and relevant math.

"The Director General was asked how many security checks of
boat people ASIO had conducted and what were the results
of those checks. His reply was that ASIO had checked close
to 6,000 ( at that time), of whom not a single one presented
a security risk."

T2,

When the pacific solution was introduced, the numbers quickly dropped from 4000 p.a. to less than 100 p.a. When the pacific solution was removed the numbers quickly jumped up to over 6000 p.a.

Given that the number of refugees to other countries showed only a few % change over the same period, it is beyond logic to claim that the pacific solution was not the main driving factor. Joe Bloggs in the street is incredulous when labor tries to claim that it won't work again, especially when they were going to try their own deterrent.

Dear Shadow Minister,

When the sun goes down and the moon comes up there is very
little light. When the sun rises - it is bright again.
In summer it is usually warm, and in winter it is usually
cold. It's called a cycle - influenced by the natural
process.

So too refugee number fluctaute depending on the conflicts
within their region. And if that's difficult to understand
those that are not happy - should perhaps move to the
sinking island of Nauru.

cont'd...

Your logic is flawed. It's like saying -
"When Liberals were in power - there were no major floods!"
But then - it never rained during that period.

Lexi,

If the 96% drop in refugees suddenly happened in Australia, why did it happen no where else in the world. What other country experienced a 5000% increase in 2008%.

Ebb and flow! what bollocks.

Try cause and effect. When the sun rises there is light. When there is light in one place but no other, then someone is doing something different.

Oskar Schindler was a people smuggler. So too was Harriet Tubman.