Australia calls for refugee deal with Malaysia after boat tragedy

Oh, I know - if I am not from Australia then I shouldnt be commenting on other countries business. On the other hand, if I am from Australia then I should know better and if I dont like the way the system is, then I should leave

Unlikely, while Australia has its share of racists (what country doesn't?), most Australians are sympathetic to refugees, but their opinions vary greatly when it comes to matters of coming here fairly and by-the-book. Robust discussion has been going in Australia for years, and it doesn't matter if you're Aussie or not to have an opinion. Your tone seems to indicate that you still think Australia is stuck in the White Australia period, ignoring the great progress which has been going on in recent decades to overcome ignorance and xenophobic attitudes. We're not completely there yet, but I'd like to think we're at least a lot better than what you make us out to be.

Australia needs to start taking more responsibility for refugees and asylum seekers who are trying to arrive by boat. These people are travelling to attempt to settle in Australia, not Indonesia, not Malaysia or elsewhere, but Australia.

Instead of (in my view of course) fobbing off the issue to another country, we should be attempting to tighten restrictions on granting asylum through amending current legislation here at home. And we should allocate more funds to speed up the application process. This means decreasing spending and time on human detainment. By restricting grants for asylum, it will send a clear message to these people that their money spend attempting to arrive in Australia my boat, will most likely be a waste.

It is inhumane to imprison these people for long periods of time, especially to then reject their application or have them held for so long that they would prefer to return to their (at times war ridden) country (as Mr. John Howard attempted to do). Either accept them, or reject them, and do it quickly! It's a hard decison that needs to be made, but it's the only way I can see a permanent solution.

Lets put things in perspective, we're talking roundabout 6000 people each year. Figures of people trying to enter European countries from Africa are for some countries 4 to 6 times that amount of people. So is this issue of major international concern - well, No! That said, stories like this one are still very tragic.

Also, lets look at Germany, they currently only accept about 5% of all their asylum seekers, the rest get a flight back home within a few months, some even a few weeks. Now their asylum seeker numbers are so low that they are spending less money, time and resources than they were before. They made the decision to reject them, and all within International law requirements on fair treatment and fair processes towards refugees and asylum seekers. Perhaps, we have a few lessons to learn from our German friends.

What difference does it make whether I am from Australia or not? Oh, I know - if I am not from Australia then I shouldnt be commenting on other countries business. On the other hand, if I am from Australia then I should know better and if I dont like the way the system is, then I should leave (another great cliche used when all else fails)

at the expense of the refugees

Interesting. I always thought it was the Oz taxpayers who get screwed in all of this. Cost of search and rescue, the cost of housing and feeding them when brought to Oz...

How many really are refugees and how many are wannabe illegal aliens who know they wouldn't get in the correct way? Don't get me wrong, I am all for refugee support but there is a huge difference between wanting to sneak into a country and make a better life for yourself and leaving your country in fear of your life. Why people continue to call all boat people refugees is beyond me. Draws at the heart strings and all that but call a spade a spade. How many are actually refugees?

Grammefriday,

Are u from Australia?

Oh and as for the media cliche sorry but facts are facts

About the bleating, it's a lot easier trying to appeal for leniency and a second chance, when you've applied through the correct channels and supplied the right background information about yourself to achieve residency in Australia. About over stayers- they are just that...Over stayers: People who have applied through appropriate channels with the right documentation, but who having already been processed, don't warrant as much attention as do rickety boats run by people smugglers. Not to mention the potential security threat some of these people without papers could pose.

Yeah right, try again. The Australian media and public get fed up because these people are jumping the queue, they are taking spots away from others (even from their own country) that go through proper channels. Given Australia takes in around 165,000 immigrants a year maybe these refugee's who mind you can afford to pay a fortune for their trip should join the queue like everyone else

'jumping the queue' - now theres a media created cliche if ever there was one....

grammefriday

Its funny the way Australians always bleat about a couple of thousand illegal boat people 'jumping queues' yet at any given time there are close to 30,000 visa over stayers from western countries (ie: UK, US, Canada etc) trying to wangle permanent residence in the country. I wonder why you never hear about that in the Australian media....hmmm, maybe because they are caucasian backgrounds and are thus perceived to pose less of a 'threat' to white bread Australia

Yeah right, try again. The Australian media and public get fed up because these people are jumping the queue, they are taking spots away from others (even from their own country) that go through proper channels. Given Australia takes in around 165,000 immigrants a year maybe these refugee's who mind you can afford to pay a fortune for their trip should join the queue like everyone else

grammefriday

I'll take the "Australians love gold medals" as a compliment. Cheers.

As for immigration, both legal and illegal, name a developed country where it ISN'T a political issue!

gramme - Well at least the "tough" Australian politicians can cross your name off the list next time they are looking for advice on how to solve this issue.

We await your wisdom gramme.

I am not the dog whistler standing on my soap box claiming to have solutions to the problem. I simply see cynical Australian politicians using this as a tool to make themselves seem 'tough' and 'hard' to the voting masses. This problem has been around for nearly 25 years yet no solution has been found. Its interesting that alot of these refugees are coning from Afghans - a country who Australia is fighting in to bring 'democracy' to. Its funny the way Australians always bleat about a couple of thousand illegal boat people 'jumping queues' yet at any given time there are close to 30,000 visa over stayers from western countries (ie: UK, US, Canada etc) trying to wangle permanent residence in the country. I wonder why you never hear about that in the Australian media....hmmm, maybe because they are caucasian backgrounds and are thus perceived to pose less of a 'threat' to white bread Australia

Ah yes, if I know my corrupt officials in Malaysia, who look down on Indonesians, and corrupt Indonesian who must look down on poorer Asians, in this case those trying to make it to Australia via the pirate infested waters off of Indonesia and Malaysia, they, the corrupt Indonesians and Malaysians are just laughing and enjoying Australia looking bad, but it would be funnier if say, Australia started opening live fire on all of these 2 bit pirates?? See how long the corrupt officials in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur would keep laughing?? RIP poor refugees

grammerfriday,

Rather than slam Australia (the final destination for these people) maybe you should direct your swipe at the corrupt countries and officials that do nothing to prevent and infact assist these people in undertaking this journey. Indonesia would be one place l would be directing my anger afterall this occurred much closer to Indonesia than Australia and many of the people smugglers come from Indonesia.

While its sad to see these poor people die, its also annoying as an Australian to be critisised because these people are bucking the system and effectively queue jumping. How many thousands of refugees does Australia take a year? We need to balance that with our needs to and try and stop this flow and if our muslim neighbour Indonesia helped these muslim refugees and resettled them there rather than helping them on their journey that would be a good start.

Oh and under Labours grand plan we get rid of 600 illegal immigrants and get 4000 in return. Great deal there Labour way to think it through. Glad you will be gone next election!!!

Not forgetting that Australian attempts to coordinate with Indonesian authorities, often end up with them dealing with the same people taking bribes from people smugglers to look the other way. I don't like Aussie politicians playing political football with this either, but refugees who make it to Australia have it so much better than they would in a Malaysian/Indonesian detention center for one.

a gold medal to australia - this time for stupidity

Well dont leave it there. Give us your ingenious idea to stop people-smugglers defrauding the poor and wretched and sticking them on an unseaworthy boat and pushing it towards Australia.

This event occurred closer to Jakarta than to mainland Australia, but Australia takes your award of ignominy?

Where was the Indonesian rescue effort? Where are the Indonesian authorities who allow these boats to leave their ports overcrowded, full of Afghans who enter Indonesia illegally?

We await your wisdom gramme.

as always this is an ongoing political football at the expense of the refugees.... neither party has any interest in solving this issue as both can then claim to be 'hard' on the issue of people smuggling without making concrete 'humane' efforts to solve the problem.... as always, a gold medal to australia - this time for stupidity (australians love gold medals - anything will do so long as it adds to the overall count...australians are always 'punching above their weight')