Pjack is correct,

Anyone who has entered the country not through the legal channels is an illegal immigrant.

Some more legal points.

Until their status is recognized they can legally be detained, off shore if required.

Turning boats around or towing them in international waters is not illegal.

Further to Shadow Ministers's post above --here is the official DIMA [and might I add, the logical and commonsense] position,from Stewart Foster, Director Public Affairs DIMA: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/letters/letters04/Press_Council_28_June.htm

Note the following key points:

1) "It is not true that an asylum seeker cannot be an illegal entrant or indeed be an illegal immigrant. Nor is it pejorative to use the correct terms to describe an illegal entrant or illegal immigrant"

2)" In some quarters to the use of the words 'illegal' or 'unlawful' or 'unauthorised' to describe asylum seekers arriving without Australia's permission seems to have at its root vigorous attempts by some in the community to mislead the public into believing a myth that all unauthorised arrivals are asylum seekers and that all asylum seekers have a right to enter a country of choice without authority and therefore 'can never be illegal'. This is just not true. The reality is clear in international law and has been made crystal clear by the High Court of Australia."

3) "Neither asylum seekers, nor refugees have a right to enter, without authority, a country which is not their country of nationality"

4) "The use of the word 'illegal' or 'unlawful' to describe asylum seekers entering a country without authority is standard international practice, not least by signatory states to the Refugees Convention. This is because the Refugees Convention (Article 31) explicitly refers to the "illegal entry or presence" of refugees who arrive in the territory of a country "without authorisation"."

It should be noted that these facts have been point out to those on the asylum-scammers-are-poor-little-LEGAL-darlings side of the discussion numerous times but they seem to have a problem with retention.

There is something of a culture war being waged by many on the left, who seek to redefine things to suit their narrow agendas.

@PJack,

<< Our schools will be more Westernised, more Christian, more "white" centric and the Liberals and Nationals will be celebrating>>

Well, we've had a couple of decades now where you and like minded have celebrated them being anti-Western, anti-Christian and anti-white --share the joy around.



@Susie
<<If Pyne wants to teach his kids that human life began with Adam and Eve, whose kids must obviously have had to mate with each other to carry on the human race, then so be it.But leave all the other kids out of that>>

Holy mackerel!

Look PJack, now you've gone and scared Susie, you ought to be ashamed of yourself!

There is zero to no prospect of Adam and Eve being taught in state schools in place of --or even in conjunction with --evolution, Adam and Steve maybe, but definitely no Adam and Eve.

This whole thread is the result of post-election trauma that many in the left are experiencing right now:

Here's a snap shot of a typical lefty couple --on election night:

Partner A:
"What do you mean Abbott won...it wasn't supposed to happen this way". "Boohoo boohooo ..the ABC assured us that Abbott had no chance
boohoo boohoo ...it is the end of the world".

Partner B:
"We can fight this, we can overcome (gently massaging partner A's shoulder) get out there on OLO and spread some wild rumours"

whoops sorry wrong thread.

PJack,
Last July you claimed that Rudd would win the election.

Going on your own record, me thinks your advice is best ignored

Gentlemen,

Janet Phillips is a Social Policy Researcher at the
Department of Parliamentary Services in Canberra
(check her profile on Linkedln).
She gives all of her sources in her Bibliography with
each article which includes Government souces such as
DIAC. She does not mislead or give out false information
because her job depends on accuracy. However, what you choose
to believe is beyond my control.

See you on another thread.

Cheers.