Lexi,

Whay would you prefer that dated activist blurb to the informed and independent statements by the Australian PM and Foreign Minister? They are answerable to Parliament.

<<I'm also curious as to why these people would flee, solely reliant on cramped unsafe vessels to make their way here.
Poirot,
I don't know why you seem to not want to accept. They're not refugees in a refugee sense. They're on a mission, they have an agenda, the reason why they come to Australia is because it is the last frontier for them. I have spoken with some in the smuggling business & they confirm what I am telling you here.
if you have been brainwashed into believing that you're going to heaven & all that if you play along with those who push you then you too would jump on those boats.

The economic migrant chooses the country of destination based on perceived rewards and ease. He doesn't choose the boat. It is chosen by the smuggling gang. People smuggling by sea is very cheap and profits are high. Profits are maximised by choice of a low cost boat. The boat can be even cheaper where a phone call to the gang's Oz counterparts can result in a pick-op by an Australian navy vessel just outside of Indonesian waters.

As an economic migrant might see it, it is only a very short trip out to sea with the actual journey being provided by an Australian navy vessel.

Onthebeach "But Senator Carr said "no one on these boats in recent times has made the faintest reference to" political opinion or memberships of social group>"

Oh well , if Senator Carr says it, then it must be true eh?
'Coz politicians never lie, right?

It wouldn't be because he wants to play on the 'paranoia' of racist constituents, for political gain at all, would it?

Noooooo......

Suseonline - You seemed to have missed my comments to you, I would not like to think you were in anyway biased so I have repeated them for you.

Suseonline - Quote "The Government sorts through the asylum seekers that come by boat, and decides who are genuine refugees, and who are not. I have no doubt the immigration officials are as tough with 'boat people' as they are with ALL would be migrants to Australia."

I give you exhibit 1 Captain Emad. That was a Joke the king of the smugglers.

I give you exhibit 2 The lies the Government said about only 4 or less refugees committed crimes.

I give you exhibit 3 The public servant a year or so ago who said they were told to pass some.

I give you exhibit 4 A week or so ago the Government admitted only around 10% were really checked out properly.
Would you like to live next to the other 90%?

I didn't miss your comments at all PhillipS, I was just more keen to address Onthebeach's issues at that moment in time.

As you have rightly pointed out, Government members do lie.
So why couldn't Senator Carr's comments also be lies?
Surely you aren't just cherry picking whose comments you want to believe or not?

How would you know who I already live next to?
How do you know I'm not an immigrant too?
After all, aren't ALL non-Aboriginal Australians descended from immigrants anyway?