Belly - It won't happen because in the last 1.5 months over 3,500 refugees have arrived that is way more than the capacity of both places.
As of about 5 days ago the government started moving them to the Australian mainland in WA and VIC.

Score so far Smugglers 3,500 x approx $9,000 - Government approx 25 returned home with cash in pocket.

Smugglers are winning hand down.

It's amusing how the ones who squeal the loudest how terrific, fabulous and the very, very best Australia in the world is, which is why they think everybody wants to come here, are then so dismayed when they see the very workings of a democracy with a Westminster system doesn't act like any old dictatorship.

Australia's judiciary is separate from government. That's what keeps governments from acting only in their own interests, or rather, the interest of the governing party of the day. Erosion of this separation and indendence is the biggest threat to a democracy.

Australia's legal system follows the British legal system-Common Law. Nothing is set in stone. What appeared to be fair and reasonable in 1900's may no longer be in 2012.

Australia is part of the international community. Neither side of politics advocates isolationism. We trade with, we travel to, we send soldiers to other sovereign nations. We are going to be affected with consequences. Good and bad.

Philip's argument is stuck in gear. Malaysia should have been in operation, years ago , but with abbott's wisdom insisting on Nauru, nothing has changed. We are in a different environment than in 2010.
Refugees are on the move from about one third of the world.
Law courts are contesting all legislation, and finding holes.
Until amendments are made to law, and contested again, it's going to be tough going.

Yvonne as you will be aware opinions are free, but not compulsory.
Reading between your lines, re sending troops, I may take this opportunity to remind you, not every one agrees with any of us.
Phillip, you overlooked the driver to my post.
I too think the Islands solution will not work, temporary protection visa or not.
BUT I do think if Abbott let it, [a reason he will not] Malaysia would work.
Right now, thanks in part to Alan Jones exceeding any limits, crying Wolf and slandering truth, are out of fashion, Abbott,s replacement WILL STOP THE BOATS
And Malaysia looks the only answer, ten maybe 4 plane loads in a week? say next week?
It ends bank on it.

Belly - Malaysia is the worst thing
we get 4,000 people which our taxpayers have to support.

We give them 800 people which our taxpayers have to support.

Just to get rid of the 3,500 we would have to take 17,500 from Malaysia

THEY WILL KEEP COMING BECAUSE WE SUPPORT THEM IF THEY STAY IN INDONESIA OR MALAYSIA THEY GET NOTHING NOT ONE RED CENT. Basic economics.

579 - Quote "Philip's argument is stuck in gear." My argument is not stuck what it points out is Labor want to appear to be doing something about the problem WITHOUT actually doing anything.
After all why do they have our navy on permanent patrol and all they do is Indonesia use them to pick up refugees 45KM from there land and 370KM from ours. Only 1 time in the last 4 years can I remember the ones picked up by our navy being returned to Indonesia the others were always bought to Australia.
Nearly all the "so called "rescues are well into Indonesia's search and rescue zone.
OUR Government is WEAK

I'll now defend my statements on refugees being the least of our worries.

Every year we have an average growth of 3% + inflation of 3%.The money supply + inflation is 6%.We have a $ 1.2 trillion GDP economy. 6% of $1.2 trillion is $72 billion.We borrow most of this money from foreign private banks.ie they own our productivity and loan it back to us as debt.We are their debt bitches.This is why the world is in so much debt.

China let the private banksters in for a while but still produce 80% of its new money debt free ie( or as a tax credit for it's people)China was expected to roll over in 2008 to the bankster criminals of Wall St but stood it's ground.This is why China is now been demonised by the Western Oligarchs.

Do refugees cost us $ 72 billion pa plus interest?
It is our wars of imperialism which is creating these refugees.If third world countries were not imprisoned by our debt system of money creation,they too would enjoy prosperity which we are rapidly losing.