Refugees/asylum seekers

If we are seen to be a soft touch more people will attempt to enter illegally. It is simple as that. It is not a matter of how few have attempted this so far but more about strong borders as borders can and have collapsed elsewhere. Good or bad you only have to look at Europe to know that is true. Soft borders only encourage the people smugglers and they put people's lives at risk, again look at Europe.

Some quote numbers about numbers of boats pre or post a change of policy, others state the numbers of people entering illegally compared to the much greater number of legal immigrants. But what would be the case if we didn't set our own rules?

Australia has a very proud record of general immigration and refugee resettlement and it's one that should be valued and sustained. We need not "beg pardon" to anyone and we need not carry the corporate guilt complex so prevalent in Western society. We need not beat ourselves up or be "shamed" into something we don't want.

Australia has claim to be proud, a claim to be compassionate and is entitled to its sovereignty.

Before the rise of "ethnic" multiculturalism we just had Australians and New Australians and with every new arrival some of the the older New Australians just became Australian and what a great thing that was. Even our indigenous brethren were new arrivals once. We are an immigrant nation and those that want put up the barriers generally are those that are most exercised by illegal arrivals. Perhaps they need to reflect a little more deeply about their own heritage.

However, if you want to join a club you have to obey their rules, if you don't like the rules, don't join. Before any accusations of pedantry or "redneckiness", I am all in favour of high immigration and a diverse one at that. Remembering the root word I am also in favour of giving "refuge" to bona fide refugees or asylum seekers but it has to be on our terms.

Best regards, Jonathan.