Wake Up Australia

[motto]

Although this thread seems to have wandered around a bit, there is a common theme - that of national sovereignty and national identity.

I had hoped that we Aussies were mature enough and secure enough in our own identity to accept the Union flag in the corner of our own as nothing more than an historic link as the Hawaiians apparently do with theirs.

As regards illegal immigrants, Diana, I think you are wrong. Although far more arrive by air than by sea, those that arrive by air, if apprehended, are treated as being illegals. Those that arrive by sea, however, are somehow magically transformed into being 'asylum seekers'.

The term 'asylum seekers' is the only one used to describe them as if an edict had been issued to this effect. This is in spite of the fact that they have already passed through other countries where they were already given asylum or it was there if asked for.

They obviously set out with Australia as their destination. Why should this be? Could it be the same reason they travel right across Europe to get to the U.K. because of the generous handouts and lavish assistance? Bingo, you've got it!!

Yesterday, it was announced that the cost to the Australian Government to provide security and detention/processing for these people will be in the region of a billion dollars and this is only one aspect of the total cost involved. There seems to be an industry set up here to assist these people that has unlimited funding, despite the fact that our health and education systems are struggling to maintain standards.

Australia is a large country (a huge percentage of which is inhospitable) but we only have a small population of twenty-two million that could easily be swamped or overwhelmed and already the impact is being felt. We have long been an island of tranquility in an increasingly chaotic world but this is changing . The recent spate of drive-by shootings in Melbourne and Sydney are openly acknowledged as being attributable to a particular ethnic group described in the media by a high-ranking Victorian Police officer as being 'of recent import'.

Some come here seeking shelter from the storm. Some come here as part of it. If only we could sort them out.

David.

[cliff]

well said David! Even though I too am a recent import from New Zealand (13yrs) I became an Australian Citizen along with my wife in 1994 and concider Australia home now. I have no problem with folk who do it the legal way but like you think many of the asylum seekers are not all that genuine. I did the painting below based on the Cat Stevens song "Longer Boats" but my take on it is an Asylum Seeker boat heading our way. Figures and flag are done in white so that no one particular ethnic group is picked out.

[Private_collector]

here, here!

It presents as if any form of political backbone is dead! Resting peacefully alongside common sense. I have the same frustrations as many, with watching this ongoing 'train wreck' of illegal immigration becoming 'asylum', knowing it's gonna happen & tough decisions will NOT be made for fear of political correctness breaches or upsetting some sections of our society.

Society, what a joke! Australia is fast becoming just another group of people living in proximity, definately NOT a society.

Who was it that said: Politicians should be changed as frequently as nappies.........and for exactly the same reason?

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

here, here!

It presents as if any form of political backbone is dead! Resting peacefully alongside common sense. I have the same frustrations as many, with watching this ongoing 'train wreck' of illegal immigration becoming 'asylum', knowing it's gonna happen & tough decisions will NOT be made for fear of political correctness breaches or upsetting some sections of our society.

Society, what a joke! Australia is fast becoming just another group of people living in proximity, definately NOT a society.

Who was it that said: Politicians should be changed as frequently as nappies.........and for exactly the same reason?

I have a feeling that our pollies are bowing to the rules of the United Nations on many things and this may be some of the problem

Or is the UN most of the problem?

[Dianaa]

Illegals are illegals are illegals whether they flew here or floated here. Most of the ones coming by boat, don't come from a Visa free country and they wouldn't have received a Visa for any other reason.

While the detention centres in WA and NT are full of boat people, many of the ones in Villawood are the illegal overstayers and boat people who failed to gain asylum.

I don't know why we cant do exactly the same as the Yanks do and bus them back immediately, although then they wouldn't get off the plane, like they didn't get off the Oceanic Viking or what ever was the Customs ship that took them to Indonesia.

As for Australian Citizenship for new immigrants, it should be the one strike and your out rule. Go to prison for a crime and you lose you're adult acquired citizenship and when parole or release comes around, it's off in a big plane to from whence you came, no questions, no appeal even if you've got family here.

I think that all the treaties that were signed at the end of WWII with devastation in Europe are the cause of a lot of todays problems.