How should Australia treat asylum seekers?

20 Sep 2010
370 Comments
Share This
+ Comment
370
Prime Minister Julia Gillard ended a three-month freeze on processing Sri Lankan asylum-seekers, and said a bar on Afghan claims was under review. (AAP)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard ended a three-month freeze on processing Sri Lankan asylum-seekers, and said a bar on Afghan claims was under review. (AAP)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says efforts are under way to set up a regional processing centre for asylum seekers in East Timor as the government tries to ensure that people smugglers 'have no product to sell'.

The Opposition wants to restore offshore processing of all illegal boat arrivals, and reintroduce Temporary Protection Visas. What do you think? What's the solution?

RELATED

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube

Join the Discussion

Name
City / Suburb E.g. Artarmon, Sydney
Title
Comment
You have characters remaining.
Validation
What's this?
This is a captcha-picture. It is used to prevent mass-access by robots.
All submitted comments become the property of SBS. They are moderated, so we reserve the right to edit comments and remove HTML tags. Not all submitted comments will be published. Publication does not mean we endorse the opinions expressed. Please read our terms and conditions for more information.

Your Comments

Display: 20 | 40 | All comments per page
Previous 10 | Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Next 10

Genuine Refugees

Emma - from Australia, 8 months ago

95-98% of asylum seekers who arrive by boat are found to be genuine refugees, whilst only 20-23% of those arriving by plane are found to be genuine. It goes to show that those who are willing to risk their own lives, and those of their own children at the chance of drowning and choosing people smugglers to come to Australia, are more desperately in need of asylum than those who 'have the time' to wait for proper processing and flying in when ready. Under UN law it is not illegal to seek asylum.

Where has our empathy gone?

Alice - from Ringwood, 11 months ago

'Refugee' and 'asylum seeker' are not synonymous with illegal. We have the good fortune to have been born in a wonderful country - and we have the power to help those who have been displaced by war, persecution and famine. Let's bust some myths. They are not queue jumpers - there is no queue. Almost all of those who arrive by boats are found to be genuine refugees. Most 'illegal immigrants' come by plane from countries like Britain. Refugees, with support, become productive society members.

Insult to our Diggers

Merlin 16 - from Adelaide, 12 months ago

The asylum debate will not stop until we have a Government that thinks of it's own people first and opinions from other countries last!. How many NON anglo-saxon countries have a high Australian, UK or USA population?? Correct answer: NONE! No, we are the stupid idots who allow other cultures to come her and dictate how we should run our country, religion and economy! Why are our diggers dying in foreign lands while people come here for protection instead of fighting for their own country?

Australia for Australians

Merlin16 - from Adelaide, 12 months ago

I have nothing against humanitarian involvement and taking of genuine refugees. However, with the estimate of refugees (economic, political, environmental, etc) at around 40 million, how many are we going to take? The growing population in Australia is fuelled mostly by international students coming here not for education, but Resident status. Once they are Residents they can bring the whole family out and apply for Centerlink payments, First Home Buyer grants and Baby Bonus payments. Incredible

Asylum seekers!

student - from abc school, 12 months ago

they shuold stay in the camps until they have their feet on the ground and then when they are ready they should leave to another country like Thailand- who have signed a contract to handle some asylum seekers!!! I don`t want them in my country!!!

biased view

Madeline - from Campbelltown, 1 year

About SBS new series titled "go back where you came from", one only has to watch the previews to get the feel of another media gallery manipulation of the facts pertaining to the problem of people trafficking, economic opportunism and our rights and responsibilities to monitor and secure our own borders.

hi

Johnny Honey - from Beaconsfield, 1 year

hi guys im doing an assignment on asylum seekers. just putting it out there...

To Luke

Jen - from Melbourne, 1 year

if people have forged documents or have electronic copies of documents you say they have used to travel to Indonesia and then destroyed, why wouldn't they come directly to Australia by plane? Their claim would be processed using the same criteria but they wouldn't risk their life on a boat nor would they be put in a detention centre. Rather they would be allowed to live in the community with similar rights as a tourist.

Citizen

Luke N C - from Canberra, 1 year

Jen, 23/5/11, I am in a position to observe that irregular boat arrival persons have without exception disposed of their travel documents. Most of them have electronic copies of other ID documents that you say are not issued in poor countries. Then they have paid big money one way and another to get from say the Middle East to Australia’s waters. If they can pay that money, they will have access to documents, legal or forged, good enough to enable them to board planes bound for Jakarta.

Thank you SBS

Abby - from Melbourne, 1 year

Thank you SBS for you upcoming series "Go back to where you came from" It looks like it will be a real eye opener. I think everyone should watch it before forming forming opinions about asylum seekers. Also thank you for your information and providing a space where people can voice their opinion. Keep up the good work :)

Display: 20 | 40 | All comments per page
Previous 10 | Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Next 10