If the people smugglers have nothing to sell, the boats will stop, their (the boat people) money will be saved and our tax billions can go to a more worthy IN HOUSE cause.

All non Australian issues should be funded from our foreign aid budget and, if there's nothing left, tough. Natural disasters are an exception.

To simply tax our taxes, amd allocate them to someone else's problems is boarder lining on fraud in my view.

rechtub raises an interesting question, what can be done.
I would answer: become involved in the political process and work from within.
By that I mean, start with the basic concept of how our democracy is supposed to work.
Our local elected representatives should represent the wishes of the electorate or constituency.
Over time, however, major parties have formed and have become bigger than the voters, i.e. policy is dictated by the party machine and not by members of electorates.
But need this remain the case?
I would answer no.
Many people think that the only way they can be engaged with the political process is to vote at election time.
Not so.
While our local member may ignore most emails, as they're poorly written rants, they do not ignore phone calls and well worded letters and emails.
I am in regular contact with my state and federal member, and I do not hesitate to let them know my position.
I know for a fact, that if a member gets a heap of local correspondence about an issue, even if it's counter to party policy, he/she will be influenced. Why? Because the party bestows preselection, but it's the local voters who bestow the gig.
The next level is to find a party that most closely identifies with your views, and join. You then have an opportunity to argue for what you believe and to influence party policy.
The local member is most sensitive to comments from local party members.
I'm bemused by this eternal cry that politicians are ignoring voters at a time when party membership of all parties is at an all time low.
Don't like what's happening?
Then join, campaign and change your party's position on what's happening.
Many local branches have only a couple of dozen members. If you care about an issue, get a bunch of like minded folk together and all join the local branch. Most branches are so small it only requires a handful to take over a branch.
And then watch your local member sit up and pay attention.
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

Good advice Anton

Many people don't actually vote for a party, they often vote for, or against, a person.

John Howard was a prime example, whereby many good people were tossed out, purely in backlash to JH and work choices.