Australia was founded on boat people, and criminals as well.
When you say our own, meaning Australian citizens, it takes 9 months to manufacture an Australian citizen. No doubt there would be Australian citizens in detention, with their illegal mothers.
If these people did not arrive by boat they would be arriving by invitation, so there is no difference in numbers of new arrivals.
All this govt; wanted to do was to stop the deaths at sea, this is what Malaysia is designed to do. It made cense to trade people back to Malaysia for processed people. There would not have been any advantage of taking a boat ride. Naru will be a cattle yard, which the world will be watching, will it stop deaths at sea, remains to be seen. Will it stop boats ?

Dear Banjo,

On the DIAC website is a section on irregular maritime arrivals - arrival by boat without a visa. I saw nothing on that website about such arrival being a crime. Perhaps you should look at it. maybe you can find where such an arricval is a crime under the Australian criminal code. If you do please cite the passage.

david f - get one of your friend (from a country that require a visa) to arrive at an Australian airport without a visa and see how fast they are on the next plane back to where they came. That proves it is illegal.

Dear Philip S,

The government has the right to deport undocumented aliens. However, that does not prove it is illegal or a crime. Crimes and illegal acts are specified in the Australian criminal code. After due process of law a person is penalised if found guilty of a crime. Deportation is not a criminal penalty.

davidf,
I will not do your research for you, I have found it myself in the past.

Try under section under visa requirements or ask a travel agent/airline about visa requirements to enter Aus.

You will find it unlawfull to enter Aus without a valid visa.

As I said before lack of a valid visa is the only grounds on which we can detain any arrivals.

We issue a million, or so, visas per year so they are readily available. Those persons that arrive legally, and then apply for asylum, are free in the community whilst their application is being processed.

Hey, ask yourself why would anyone pay a smuggler many times more for a ride on a leaky boat when it is far cheaper and safer to fly?

Dear Banjo,

I don't think there is anything in the Australian criminal code that designates coming to Australia without a visa a crime. I could not find it in the website you referred me to, and I don't think it exists any place. I am not going to look further for something that I don't think is there. The boat people have done nothing illegal. If you think otherwise cite your evidence.