Therefore again, "Since seeking asylum is not illegal, it is
not punishable." If it's not punishable, how can it be
illegal.
Foxy,
the same principle as opportunistic as it is for this day & age also applies to degree bearing pseudo academics in the public service despite the massive damage incurred by them.

Dear individual,

You sir, without any evidence, slander those who served in our Royal Navy during this time. If you could be bothered to read the Commander Banks' evidence before the Senate Inquiry you would see a man probably less disposed toward the Labour Senators than Liberal. But what else comes out is a person making every effort to present the facts in a determinately apolitical manner befitting the rank and obligations of his oath. Your snide little remark does great disservice to him and those who served under him.

Shame.

Dear Siller,

Putting aside the fact that these are both reputable organisations with intelligent and caring people involved in them, I employed quotes from both regarding the status of asylum seekers to challenge banjo's opinion. All he had to do was furnish counter arguments from reputable organisations and then we could proceed. The fact that he instead clamped hands over both his ears, stamped his feet, and started chanting 'Nah Nah Nah – I am right and you are wrong' doesn't negate the fact that those who have been found to be refugees are not deemed unlawful.

If you wanted to take a little time from your sweeping denigrations to show otherwise I am all ears.

Please note that when the footage of cruelty and mistreatment conducted during our live sheep trade to the Middle East was broadcast John Howard forced it to halt for a year until far stricter guidelines were put in place including having shipboard vets. Was he wrong?

I am aware, fully in fact, some find my view on this issue contemptible.
Others constantly remind me and others of the pain,*questionable at best* of these fare paying would be refugees.
A truth needs stating, no one side of this debate is totally right.
But if an election hung on it, Labor without their current plan, would be unelectable.
Self preservation is never evil.
And self preservation is one major factor in not opening up our boarders.
Another death by gun in Sydney's streets last night, this time from a different ethnic enclave.
My concerns about the UNHC will be mainsteam ones in the next ten years.
In fact the very United Nations, as more and more intervention in to country,s governments and even our family life

[eg do not smack kids, is highlighted
Above all pretense these folk are true refugees robs those who truly are waiting off shore .
Last pushing minority views is bread and butter for the greens but they should know Australia has long ago rejected them 10 to 12 percent is no mandate for madness.

Dear Banjo,

They are not breaking any law.

Australia recognises people's right to seek asylum
and entering Australia without a valid visa is not
a criminal offence.

They are not breaking any law.

MIGRATION ACT 1958 - SECT 5AA
Meaning of unauthorised maritime arrival
(1) For the purposes of this Act, a person is an unauthorised maritime arrival if:

(a) the person entered Australia by sea:

If you arrive by legitimate Transport without a Visa (anywhere in the World) you get put on the next plane home. You are not on Australian soil until you clear Customs.

To be clear, we are talking about Boat People here, not those arriving by legitimate transport.

Now, Boat people have circumvented the universally recognized proper way of claiming Asylum by going through proper channels. Do you agree with that statement? If you do then these people have, morally at least, behaved inappropriately.

What else;
Putting themselves & the women & children in harms way.
Destroying their document's. I presume they had documents to enter Indonesia.
Paying 10's of thousands of $ to a People Smuggler. Then claiming they have no means of support when they get here.
Harming themselves then claiming our Navel Personnel did it.
Purposely sinking their boat so they have to be taken on board one of our Navel vessels.

Australia recognises people's right to seek asylum.

Yes we do. Provided they are genuinely seeking asylum & coming directly from the place where they were in fear of their lives. These people are coming from a country where their lives are not in danger.

entering Australia without a valid visa is not a criminal offence.

See; MIGRATION ACT 1958 - SECT 198
Removal from Australia of unlawful non-citizens.

Too big to include here.

Steelie: The Refugee Council & the others that you have mentioned are only a good in your mind. To the rest of us they're the epitome of Bias.

You sir, without any evidence, slander those who served in our Royal Navy during this time.
Steeleredux,
Can you please provide the proof that it didn't happen ? Were you there ? Aren't you in fact slandering people who perhaps are right ? Just because so & so is up high in the ranks is not automatic proof of a high degree of integrity. All I can say to sum this up is that if a boat is going down & had a child I wanted to be saved than I would throw it in the water too to get away from the sinking vessel especially when rescuers are within a few metres. i suppose such logic would be foreign to you but believe me that's what people do. Also, I can not recall any uproar that australian Navy personnel failed to pluck these children from the water & place them onto australian navy ships.