Asylum Seekers - What should Australia do?

rhysrhysbaby

Eats Squid
Does everyone forget we are all 'dirty filthy immigrants' also???
My family came here exactly the same way, they paid a ridiculous amount of money to come from england in a shitty boat and arrived in a 'land of opportunity' to make their life.
If they were turned away 100 years ago I just may be indonesian instead of australian.
I don't know the answers, but I do know that when this subject comes up it makes me hate being 'australian'
 

Captain Sensible

Likes Dirt
In Australian waters.
Preferably somewhere shallow, calm, warm and immediately adjacent to a nice beach and medical facilities.

There's an aweful lot of "them and us" crap in this thread.

Them and us? No, there is only ever "we". My Dad came to Australia on a boat. I don't give a shit how big the boat was and how much the ticket cost him, I'm still half a boat person. I'm fairly sure my Mums relatives came here on a boat too, once apon a time, as the land bridge between Australia and European nations closed up a few million years ago.
 
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atschool

Likes Bikes
Frankly if they made it to Indonesia I think they should have sought asylum there.
Exactly.

I think another important thing to consider is that these particular asylum seekers paid tens of thousands of dollars to be smuggled. With thousands of poor refugees waiting in camps in third world countries around the world, should Australia effectively reward those who buy their way to the front of the queue?
 
Let them in. Why not? Its not as if we don't have the room to accommodate them. Why not provide the shelter they so desperately need. We would expect the same. What if we fled to America. We would be let in just because we are Australians. Why discriminate against others for trying to live. The atrocities that these people come from a far from what any of us could even imagine and to abandon then when they arrive on our doorstep seeking help is terrible. Shame on all of us Aussies for not helping. As soon as an tsunami happens we instantly help out and send aid but when people are fleeing from are war torn country where just stepping outside their front door is enough of a reason for them to be killed we just turn a blind eye. Even then it's only the better off people that can afford to make the voyage. There are still many more people that cant even make it that far. I was just thinking today of how much better our world would be without money or religion.
 

Arete

Likes Dirt
Exactly.

I think another important thing to consider is that these particular asylum seekers paid tens of thousands of dollars to be smuggled. With thousands of poor refugees waiting in camps in third world countries around the world, should Australia effectively reward those who buy their way to the front of the queue?
You aren't listening

1) In the countries illegal immigrants generally come from, there is no queue, to "jump" or "buy your way to the front of".

2) If you're fleeing persecution, you can't stay in your home. You have to leave and therefore, go somewhere.

3) Australia is far and away better equipped to deal with these people than Indonesia.

4) If they are genuinely seeking asylum from persecution, we have a legal obligation to render assistance.

Finally, imagine if you were forced to leave your home at great personal expense. If you ended up in PNG or Indonesia, with no passport, money, job or place to stay and the government was in no position to offer you any assistance, would you stay or try to make it somewhere where the government might actually be able to help you get back on your feet?

Treating people who've more than likely been through a hell you'll never imagine like criminals and dictating what they should be happy for is profoundly selfish.

Oh well, history shows that a sure fire way to be unpopular in Australia is to arrive by boat.
 

*morison*

Likes Dirt
"Refugees have driven up the total annual cost of Centrelink benefits by nearly 40 percent to an estimated $628 million in just two years." - NineMSN

This is one of the main reasons i would have to say i don't agree with letting these Asylum Seekers in.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
Frankly if they made it to Indonesia I think they should have sought asylum there.
Indonesia is not a signatory to any international refugee treaties, so I don't think this is actually an option. I may be wrong here, this is a fairly old memory.

"Refugees have driven up the total annual cost of Centrelink benefits by nearly 40 percent to an estimated $628 million in just two years." - NineMSN

This is one of the main reasons i would have to say i don't agree with letting these Asylum Seekers in.
Can you post that link? I find this hard to believe. If it's that high, then maybe the policy of detaining any and all refugees needs a rethink. Jails are horrifically expensive as well as encouraging people who enter the country by plane (the majority, incidentally) to avoid the official channels and head into the black economy.
 

thecat

NSWMTB, Central Tableland MBC
You aren't listening

1) In the countries illegal immigrants generally come from, there is no queue, to "jump" or "buy your way to the front of".
Awesome points.

And another thing they are not "illegal immigrants." an illegal immigrant is a pommy backpacker who over stays their visa.

With the so called "boat people" it's been tested time and again in court and as asylum seekers they have never been found to be illegal immigrants. Some of them are rejected but that is a different kettle of fish.

If your own government was persecuting you and threatening your family would you really form an orderly line at the government check point and kindly ask for permission to leave?
 

rhysrhysbaby

Eats Squid
"Refugees have driven up the total annual cost of Centrelink benefits by nearly 40 percent to an estimated $628 million in just two years." - NineMSN

This is one of the main reasons i would have to say i don't agree with letting these Asylum Seekers in.
DEfinitely require the link to this data, I don't believe this at all.

And should we be more interested in giving money to 'Australians' that are too lazy/fat/dumb to work, or should we be giving it to those that need money to get on their feet in a new country?
 

Arete

Likes Dirt
I'm drafting a letter I propose the government send out

Dear Sir,

Our records show that despite living on a pension, you recently spent the entire baby bonus you recently received on a plasma screen.

As a result you have been selected for Australia's refugee exchange program. In keeping with our new "fuck off we're full" policy (which your bumper sticker shows you fully support) while still fulfilling our obligation as an international good citizen, we will be exchanging one Australian for every refugee we accept to maintain and not exceed our "at capacity" status.

In accordance with our new "love it or leave it" policy (which your singlet shows you fully endorse) we will be selecting both highly skilled refugees to enhance Australia, while selecting citizens who have a demonstrated history of consuming more resources than they produce to leave.

We appreciate your full cooperation and hope you enjoy your new life in Afghanistan. Please leave the place tidy for Dr Ahkbar and his family.

The Government.
 

Captain Sensible

Likes Dirt
If your own government was persecuting you and threatening your family would you really form an orderly line at the government check point and kindly ask for permission to leave?
According to the status quo of this thread, many would simply stand there mouthing racist insensibilities.

I'd be on the boat paddling to Australia.
 

atschool

Likes Bikes
1) In the countries illegal immigrants generally come from, there is no queue, to "jump" or "buy your way to the front of".
Capacity to deal with refugees in Australia<No. refugees seeking asylum in Australia. Hence, there is a queue

There are thousands of people in refugee camps in very poor countries like Pakistan who are waiting to be processed and granted asylum in first world countries such as Australia. These people, having applied to be granted asylum in countries like Australia, have been living in pretty terrible conditions for a long time. Why are the 260 asylum seekers who get to Indonesia in a boat more worthy of a place?
 

Arete

Likes Dirt
Capacity to deal with refugees in Australia<No. refugees seeking asylum in Australia. Hence, there is a queue

There are thousands of people in refugee camps in very poor countries like Pakistan who are waiting to be processed and granted asylum in first world countries such as Australia. These people, having applied to be granted asylum in countries like Australia, have been living in pretty terrible conditions for a long time. Why are the 260 asylum seekers who get to Indonesia in a boat more worthy of a place?
We're not talking about granting them instant permanent residency, we're talking about offering them a safe place to stay within our borders while we assess their applications for asylum, which does not exist in their home country and nor does the option of applying and joining your imaginary queue. As discussed extensively, the option to apply for asylum also does not exist in Indonesia, who is not a signatory on the required treaties.

I'm not sure what exactly you propose they do, remain in their country being persecuted until Australia and the rest of the world gets around to dealing with them?
 
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thecat

NSWMTB, Central Tableland MBC
I'm drafting a letter I propose the government send out

Dear Sir,

Our records show that despite living on a pension, you recently spent the entire baby bonus you recently received on a plasma screen.

As a result you have been selected for Australia's refugee exchange program. In keeping with our new "fuck off we're full" policy (which your bumper sticker shows you fully support) while still fulfilling our obligation as an international good citizen, we will be exchanging one Australian for every refugee we accept to maintain and not exceed our "at capacity" status.

In accordance with our new "love it or leave it" policy (which your singlet shows you fully endorse) we will be selecting both highly skilled refugees to enhance Australia, while selecting citizens who have a demonstrated history of consuming more resources than they produce to leave.

We appreciate your full cooperation and hope you enjoy your new life in Afghanistan. Please leave the place tidy for Dr Ahkbar and his family.

The Government.

Best post ever
 
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