Just a thought,a thing we should consider here is others, from all over the world, read our thoughts.
Few understand our humor, even less the widening gap, like it or not, SOME new to us, religion based migrant enclaves are inflicting on Australia.
We make fun, for funs sake,of Kiwis, but in truth are very close to them, except when they flog us, as usual, in their sport Rugby.
Thanks Individual, for both mentioning, and proving, our Gene pool needs some improvement.
Just maybe we should not be so very thin skinned when folk from other country's get in to us?

My earlier general thread on raising the refugee intake:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=4860

These leeches from any country should not be allowed.
Phillip S,
Which leech is worse ? The one who receives or the one who gives without questioning the receiver, i.e. the bureaucrats who let this happen totally unaccountable. The real culprits aren't those who make the claims. It's the Public Servants who literally don't give a damn about the country that employs them. Many of them are nowadays half-literate migrants who have been put there by, you guessed it, Australians. Australians who don't deserve to be called that because they'd sell their grandmothers for any extra Dollar they can put into their Super fund. Australia's problems come from within, they're home grown. Take a very good look in the mirror before you vote at the next election. Hopefully you look deep enough to stir the integrity nerve.

Phillip S,
I like the way you are thinking and your term 'leeches' is spot on, especially for illegals.

For too long we have allowed the bleeding hearts to paint the illegals as victims, when any reasonable analysis shows they they are just selfish con artists. The $5 billion we have spent, over the past few years, on the illegals could have been used to upgrade our roads and other infastructure. Major government failure!

We are too generous for our own good, the Kiwi immigration needs tightening right up, they should not be simply allowed to come over at will. Most Kiwis have a culture that needs little adjustment, so that is a plus. Anyway a major reduction in immigration numbers is required and we could start by reducing the numbers from cultures that have shown they cannot integrate.

All immigration should be aimed at Aus getting a benefit.

I do not agree that we should increase refugee numbers, I think 13000 is ample. Again we need to look at the cultures we allow and reject those that show poor integration. Note big problems in some places cannot be ignored, for community cohesion.

Banjo,
Australian Visa regulation is one of the most inflexible of all countries, unless you're wealthy or a celebrity but even then some of them get a pretty hard time. This is why the so-called illegals make a mockery of it.
Fully documented applicants including children who need to be with their parents are getting the run-around from immigration officers who are not even australian but are employed as contractors by Immigration Australia. If anyone can see the sense in that please inform us.
The other thing that I fail to comprehend is the lack of foresight by Immigration regarding genuine immigrants. There are many children & adolescents who can speak one or more languages & who would speak english within 5 years of being here. Now these would be the best people Immigration could employ as negotiators & customs officers but no, they always give preference to those who don't generally do the right thing. The genuine applicant in many cases is the victim.

<< I do not agree that we should increase refugee numbers, I think 13000 is ample. >>

I agree Banjo inasmuch as it most definitely shouldn’t happen in isolation. If it were to happen as part of a total revamp of immigration and refugees issues as I have expressed in the opening post, then fine.

But as it is, I’m with you.

And yes, we should be mindful of the types of refugees that we bring here, with respect to assimilation and social coherence.