Are we really stopping the boats or just shifting are human rights responsibilities to another country by simply turning around the boats and shipping these refugees back to another countries while using taxpayers money to pay the smugglers.
The question of Nauru is not only a moral questions but also has wider implications as well. There is the economic costs of maintaining the detention centres, the cost of transport to and from the island, the upkeep of the facilities etc. Then there is the question of Aus reputation on the world stage which has been badly damaged by our current position on asylum seekers and we want a seat on the UNHCR
By imprisoning these people we have the potential to radicalising them against Western countries and thus the current policy also has the potential to weaken Australian security measures.
So to answer the question let the states resettle the refugees and protect the babies/children, families allowing them to have a normal life without war.

Dear Romingfree,

Thank You for raising such important and relevant
points. Their validity I can't dispute.
And it should give all of us a great deal of
thought. Your suggestions make a lot of sense.

So, Foxy, a couple of thousand in each city is effective?

I wonder why the 35,000 who protested against the 1996 Gun laws in Sydney and the many thousands who protested in other cities didn't have any immediate effect.

A few thousand means nothing.

I recall being part of a 30000strong protest at Parliament House in Canberra where people attended from all over the country.

The protest was about rural issues and Bob Hawke was PM.

We were ignored by government.

Dear Is Mise,

Apparently those 2,000 plus, protesters did have
an effect. Our current Prime Minister is having
the matter looked at on a case-by-case basis.
So the protesters did achieve something!

Dear Banjo,

Who knows why your issue was ignored by the then
government. I'm sure that the former PM and his
government had their reasons at that time.
Perhaps it had something to do with an election -
or the economy. Perhaps you could do some research
and let us know?

These are very poor people who are frightened to go to their old countrys, so they want to stay in Australia so why not allow them to?
Australies are a very very very kind, giving people so please let these frightened people stay here its only 200 or maybe a few more? We are a very huge big place with lots of open spaces and not many people to live there so let these a 200 or so people stay please.