chrisgaff1000: This was a meeting to arrange further meetings.

& another meeting & another meeting & on & on & on. This is what public servants do. If they solve the problem they'll be out of a job.

It's like the video "The Nail" nobody really want's to solve the problem they want to talk about & we all just have to listen.

The link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg

Dear worldwatcher,

On April 29th 2013 the ABC's Four Corners program
aired, "No Advantage: Inside Australia's Offshore
Processing Centres." The documentary went inside
Australia's offshore processing centres on Nauru
and Manus Island. Using hidden cameras we were given
the full impact of the conditions under which people
were forced to live. The program exposed the very
harsh conditions and the implications these conditions
had on both the health and well being and human rights
of asylum seekers detained there as well as the
psychological impact that this suffering had on people
who worked in the centres.

It's a shame that you didn't see the program. You would
then not be making the comments you made in your last
post.

I'm sorry that you did not like my last link.
Perhaps this one you you'll regard a bit more highly:

http://theconversation.com/what-if-it-was-our-kids-four-corners-and-asylum-seekers-13811

SM,

Now you're spruiking all the wisdom of the
Abbott:

1) On climate change: "absolute crap."
2)On honesty: "One man's lie is another man's
judgement call."
3)On poverty: "we just can't stop people from
being homeless if that's their choice."

And - from you:
1)On asylum seekers - and trying
to find a regional solution to the problem:
"Absolute rubbish."

This on a leader who can fly off to Indonesia to
explore new solutions to the asylum seekers
argument and mend the damage to live cattle
exports.

"Absolute rubbish?"

I guess repeating slogans that sound good is
easier.

Economic refugees transiting through Indonesia is a regional issue.

Boats headed for Australia is a domestic issue.
Shadow Minister,
If it were confined to what you say then yes I'd agree but, it isn't confined to our region is it ?
Australia is the last frontier for Islam & that's what this is all about. I'm happy to say that the greater majority of members of that religion are decent people but we're not talking about them are we ? Where the problem is for us is to learn from the mistaken compassion of all the other nations which took them in. Or are you saying they don't have a problem with these asylum seekers now 40 years down the track ?
As a 14 year old back in Europe I remarked on the future consequences of so many Gastarbeiter coming into the country. I'm sad to say that I was right then & my views were dismissed then there as they are here now. Well, good luck Australia you'll need & need it soon.

Lexi,

Perhaps the point about harsh conditions on Manus and Nauru, is precisely that - that the harshness on the one hand, and the 'no advantage' on the other, might deter people from making the attempt to jump the queue, to get in front of people like themselves, refugees, who have endured equally horrific conditions, but surely should be rewarded for applying for entry into Australia in all the right ways ?

Yes, we could increase the annual intake of refugees who have done everything right to get here. But should others get in front, and possibly push them further back in the queue, and make them wait even longer, by getting here by boat ?

Out of interest, is that so - that 'illegal entrants' push those who have applied properly and waited, further down the line ? Or is the fait accompli of 'illegal entrants' counted as above and beyond the annual refugee intake ?

If that is so, have we welcomed around sixty thousand, not forty thousand, refugees to Australia, in this past year ? As well as 120,000 or whatever migrants ? And all those on 457 visas ? Just asking :)

Love,

Joe

Individual, my friend,

Can we just clarify - the vast majority of Muslims coming to Australia by boat are very likely to be genuinely fleeing persecution, to be from minority groups, and not likely to be Islamist or jihadist. Those potential terrorists are far more likely to be already here, or to fly here after having filled in all the proper papers, and done everything just right.

The Somalis who are fleeing to Australia are likely to be fleeing jihadist terrorism and Islamist persecution. The Hazaras from Afghanistan and Pakistan who are fleeing here are likely to be fleeing persecution in those countries - every week, it seems, there are bombings in one or both of those countries which seem to have targeted Hazaras. Similarly, a high proportion of Iranians are genuinely fleeing persecution, Christians, Bahai'i, Kurds, Azeris, Baluchis and Sunnis.

BUT, yes, this still doesn't mean that they can jump the queue. Life is a b@stard for so many people, isn't it ? Christ, we certainly are the lucky country.

Best wishes,

Joe