and lets not forget all those "illegal" Brit/UK backpackers..they are everywhere ! These are people who have overstayed their visa or working illegally, or are on a student visa but is not studying
or those clowns in a fake marriage or relationship just to obtain a visa. We can be seen everyday in our shopping centres, bus terminals, hostels, airports, trains and hitch hiking...but hey.. lets all get hysterical about some people on leaky boats we see on the six o'clock news

The major problem that I see is they only have to say I am an asylum seeker.
They don't have to prove it, but the government has to prove they are not asylum seekers.

The dice are loaded against the government.
The UNHCR ratification act is redundant. It must be replaced.
It is reaching the stage where the navy will have to say, "Sorry we can
no longer afford this, we will tow you to Ashmore Reef and you can
phone for the smugglers to tow you home."

I think that is what I would do. They could then notify Indonesia that
there is one of their boats there asking for a tow.

Something like that will have to be done.

Suseonline - 85% of those arrivals were not on welfare for life or medical refugees as we seem to be getting more of now or they did not GET PREFERENTIAL HOUSING ETC WHILE WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS AUSTRALIANS.

Bazz - We could also stop the navy going hundreds of KM's into Indonesian waters to bring them to Australia.

Rainier - Those "Brit/UK backpackers" are not on the dole or being given houses at the expense of homeless Australians.
Quote "lets all get hysterical about some people on leaky boats" an expected 30 + thousand is not some it is a LOT.

Philip;
I think the rule is that warships can only enter a foreign governments
territorial waters by invitation. If they are requested they would
normally tow to an Indonesian port I would think.
I always thought they were only picking up in Australian SAR areas.

I am very upset with that number of arrivals, my targeted number would be 1 every 100 years.
They are not refugees, do not let the bleeding hearts con you.
Liberals too will face some, but I think just their election will halve the numbers.
Labor got it very wrong, not helped by Abbott, wait, and see how/if he can fix it.
Bribing INDONESIA, bigger bribes than the one criminal smugglers pay their POLICE ARMED FORCES AND POLITICIANS to let them come, may be the only answer.
Fraud and bribery are culture in that country, we may save money by playing their game.

Bazz - The rule you stated is right BUT the people picked up are transported to Christmas Island on one occasion the boat was approx 15 KM's from an Indonesia island Indonesia could not find them we did go 330 KM and they were taken to Christmas Island.

There has only been 1 case in the past year that I recall where they were handed back to Indonesia.

Belly Quote "not helped by Abbott" I don't blame him a swap of 4,000 people for 800 + we have to pay the costs of all IS ABSOLUTELY STUPID.
That 4,000 will need to be housed that equals more homeless Australians who will not be able to afford the prices the Government will pay so they can say we have no homeless refugees.