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

[acacia_pycnantha]

So, what's your point poddster? Are you or have you ever been a refugee/politically presecuted dissident?

[poddster]

My point is that these people are referred to as asylum seekers when in fact they are illegal refugees.

I have nothing against refugees but I do object to them being referred to as asylum seekers and I do object to them forcing entry and claiming that status.

[poddster]

i also object ,on behalf of the refugees that have applied legally, being pushed back in their application and having to wait longer in being assessed

[acacia_pycnantha]

By definition they cannot be illegal refugees. If they are genuine refugees then they are not illegal.

I agree that it's improtant to sift out the genuine refugees from the opportunists and in this, the govt needs to lift its game and speed up the slowly grinding wheels of its bureaucracy.

i also object ,on behalf of the refugees that have applied legally, being pushed back in their application and having to wait longer in being assessed

I agree and this situation reminds me much of Australia's health system where private patients can jump the queue for such things as elective surgery.

[poddster]

The ones arriving by boat without any identification papers, passport or visa are in the country illegally of that there can be no doubt.

Try entering ANY country without a passport or visa and see if you are accepted with open arms

[j*oono]

Oh excuse me.  I am an asylum seeker.  Hang on a sec while I apply for my visa and papers from births deaths and marriages and the government that I am trying to escape.

[acacia_pycnantha]

I appreciate your argument j*oono

"Let's just leave the documents home but remember to bring the money collected from our rellies to pay for our trip. We'll pay them back later"

I have no problem with real refugees, I have a problem with the govt's sluggardly processing of their claims.

[acacia_pycnantha]

the documents I am referring to are not applications, but simple identity papers.

[poddster]

Lets not forget that to fly into Indonesia they had to have all those documents in the first place.