Many thanks to you all, for finding the time to respond to this little topic. A topic that managed to promote some very interesting perspectives and diverse opinions.

Cheers...Sung wu.

Dear worldwatcher,

You're so right. I remember that family friend of ours
when he first graduated from the Police Academy in
Los Angeles. He was such an idealistic young man -
and so handsome. His first assignment was - in Watts.
A year later we didn't recognise him. His hair had
turned white - and he'd aged by decades. What he had
seen and the stories he had to tell - as I stated
earlier - were horrific. His life had changed drastically.
It looked like he was living in a war zone.
Our hearts went out to him and his family. Today - he
doesn't keep in touch or answer any of our letters.
Not sure how he's doing. And as you point out - he's one
of many in the police force. They defintely deserve our
support. Their job is such a tough one.

I'd define the "fair go" as the right to enter the marketplace and use one's skills or natural attributes to compete with others for material gains, most of Australia's White majority would see any sort of contrived impediment or discrimination to the right to compete on equal terms as unjust.No human group accepts outsiders as equals without testing them and if the newcomer is found wanting or unable to improve himself he's rejected by the community and ostracised or exiled while the person who shapes up and can hold his own is accepted.
The important thing here is that a migrant be able to pull his own weight, no human society can carry dead weight on a long term basis and no healthy society desires a bunch of useless mouths to feed. In the normal life cycle it's considered good enough that we take responsibility for our very young people, the aged and the infirm, taking responsibility for outsiders is a state priority only, given the choice "we the people" would not let these people into the country and we'd expel those who have become a burden.
A "nation of migrants" is an oxymoron, we're a nation of SETTLERS and settlers build and improve upon their fresh start, just as any other nation has social conventions and demands certain things of it's people so does Australia, if a person has no capacity to compete in the marketplace or no intention of improving themselves beyond the level at which they entered society then they have no business being here.

Jay of Melbourne,

I like your term settlers so much more than migrants. It describes far more accurately how we came here and helped build this country.

Aussies had no time for those who weren't willing to work and contribute to our wonderful country.

In my opinion, with such a small population spread over vast distances, we've accomplished miracles!

It's been hard work, and for some under harsh conditions too, but I still marvel that we have good roads, world class hospitals, good communications, and a sense of camaraderie it would be hard to beat.

Sadly, this has changed. Is it any wonder that we resent paying for those who are now arriving to be merely sloths?

We didn't strive all these years for this to be the result of our labours.

Hi there JAY of MELBOURNE...

As usual you do tend to identify exactly where the point lies, with your term 'settlers' ! Implying quite correctly, that all who came here, came to build themselves a new home, together with a new and better life. As such, the 'traditional' Aussie, including all those fantastic people who arrived here in the forties and fifties from war torn Europe, generally resent anyone who comes here with their collective hands out, seeking a lifetime of succour, compliments of the Australian taxpayer.

And to the others, who have the impudence to dare accuse many of us of being Racist, because we unilaterally condemn these illegal boat arrivals (yes Marilyn, - 'ILLEGAL') arriving unannounced, are simply uttering nothing but sheer unadulterated nonsence.

Personally, I think - No believe, most Aussies welcome carefully regulated immigration per se. ? What they don't like, is being overtly 'put upon' by people who think we're stupid enough to simply permit them to unambiguously, avail themselves of our very generous Social Security benefits and public health.

Aussies are very easy going folk. But like a King Brown 'Joe Blake', if you try to push him around, or you step on him, you'll be bitten, it WILL hurt, and you'll never ever forget it !

Thanks again, JAY of MELBOURNE.

O Sung, Worldwatcher,
As a general principle I have no objection to more or less open borders as long as they are open to everyone regardless of race or national origin and nobody is given priority or assisted passage.
That is to say that if a person is of good character, has proper documentation of identity, a bank balance which can sustain them in the short term and clean criminal and health records they should be able to buy in to the fair go. We all want to live among "people like us" basically those who are able to survive in their native lands but want to "upgrade" ie prosper in a new location because like it or not that's what colonies and multicultural societies in general are all about, material prosperity.
What the Leftist and to a certain extent the Christian proponents of open borders really want is a society of mixed race people that's run by a tiny W.A.S.P elite, to that end they'd deny entry to those ethnic groups who make up the traditional majority in this country in favour of others. They're the types who are really hated by other Australians because their whole system is premised on privilege and special provisions for favoured groups, the social constructs such as "asylum seeker", "humanitarian arrival" and "skilled migrant" so beloved of the PC establishment.
The problem with immigration at the moment is that it's not fair or democratic, it's riddled with corruption, policy is driven by PC dogma and religious beliefs and it's resulting in the harmful effects of greater stratification and division in society.