Let's be blunt

[poddster]

There is a marked difference between

ref·u·gee 

Noun

A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

political asylum

noun

(law) Political asylum is the right to live in a foreign country, and is given by the government of that country to people who have to leave their own country because they are in danger of persecution.

I would venture to say that the majority of people entering this country via boat with no identification papers, illegally, are refugees

To have political asylum status they need to be like Julian Asange or Edward Snowden.

The two classes are like chalk and cheese

There is already a LEGAL mechanism to attain refugee status.

I happen to know that from personal experience

[poddster]

They certainly didn't walk there unless they claim JC status as well and can walk on water or part the seas

[acacia_pycnantha]

I wonder if the elephant in the room on the boat isn't islam.

Would we make such a fuss if the majority of the boat people were refugees from say, Argentina and Catholic?

[poddster]

My objection is not based on race, colour or creed, my objection is to the illegal entry when there is a legal alternative and to the fact the first preference is given to illegal entrant. Under different circumstances it would constitute invasion.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@poddster wrote:

They certainly didn't walk there unless they claim JC status as well and can walk on water or part the seas

---

Well actually, aside from the 10,000 odd per year flown to Indonesia by the UN to camps, a vast majority make the trek on foot across India and down toward Malaysia.

In Malaysia they take root in camps there or move/get moved to Indonesian camps.The only body of water they need to cross is the small strait from Malaysia.

So yes they are practically walking here. And they can easily do it without passports.

[i-need-a-martini]

And lets not forget that a significant proportion of refugees that have arrived by boat in the last 5 years have been Hazaras.

They aren't even allowed to apply for a passport in their own country and they often have no documentation at all to identify them even in their own country other than documentation that brands them as Hazari.

Call them refugees or call them people seeking political asylum. It's one and the same if they have no rights in their own country.

[debra9275]

I happen to know that from personal experience

Poddster what IS this personal experience you mention???

[windrake]

The correct term is "illegal immigrants" They are country shopping, travelling through many countries to reach this countrey.

To be frank, I'm fed up with the  compassion passion that we have been force fed for years whilst our country has been chosen by people who are not fleeing for their lives or most of them anyway they are self choosing the country they wish to live in which is not legal.

The UK has finally woken up to the fact that they can't accept this type of country shopping any longer when 40% of the population are not English & the face of their country & their culture has been changed irrevocably.

It's a business, run by criminals & the immigrants are aware of the fact that Labor don't have the resolve to stop them. They are flocking here at the moment by the hundreds because they know under a liberal govt the boats stopped to about 2 a year.

This is all too unpalatable for many to understand so they cry cruelty but how cruel is it to put babies & children at risk of death, pay thousands to a criminal & destroy any identification then  say the words they have been told to utter to get refugee status.

The compassion industry run by greedy lawyer's & rent seekers has ballooned to a massive industry & they will do anything to protect the goose that lays the golden egg.

My sympathies lie with the people who apply for refugee immigration only to find they cannot come here because the quota has been filled by the criminal smugglers with illegal immigrants.

[crystal-gems]

OMG....I have just recovered from a terrible shock....I almost collapsed in a gibbering heap on the floor......because I actually agree with Poddster on a post.

I have spent a lot of time in the countries fled by many refugees, not at a tourist but in my past life career.  I understand the mindset and culture of many of these people.   I had subsequently been personally told my many refugees boasting of how they fooled the immigration department and that "Australians are stupid".    I am not saying that this is endemic, just from the few I have spoken to.

Until 'refugees' and processed and deemed to be genuine refugees they remain illegal immigrants.

Genuine refugees have my full support in resettlement in Australia.

There are two things that can make their resettlement easier and a win/win for all....

Knowledge of the language and the culture of their new country.

Without these they will not succeed.

[poddster]

Well there you go C-G wonders never cease to happen.

You are correct in what you sat about the arrival by boat. They are illegal immigrants and remain that until assessed.

As i have stated in a previous post, I object to the method of unlawful forced entry. We, as a country, are not doing enough to stop those arrivals and the flaunting of our laws, forced entry is unlawful.

The people involved in the trade of people smuggling are  more to blame than the people being smuggled but having said that the illegal immigrant also share the blame for trying to circumvent the laws of our land and jump the legal cue. that in my opinion should disqualify them from pemanent residency, in fact any residency.

As for your question Debra, I will decline to relate my past history to you or anyone else, however i will say this much.

I was not born in Australia, I am an Australian citizen, i have fought and bled to defend Australia and i have been a refugee for a period of 8 years in conditions that you would not even begin to imagine.

[windrake]

I would like  to know you story poddy but I wouln't have the effrontry to ask such a thing on social media