just not right

DeNiro

errolsyd, here are answers to all of your questions, in order:

1. People smuggling doesn't come cheap so a family may only be able to afford 1 or 2 fares even if they sell all/most of their possessions. In such cases parents naturally want to save their children before themselves if they face almost certain death by staying. If they have to choose between their children for financial reasons then the boys, from the eldest down, are always given preference. Sexism is even more entrenched in Asian and African cultures.

2. (see 1 above). Because if by staying they face almost certain death at some stage, then sending them alone on a leaky boat to a foreign land would be the lesser of 2 evils. I know much of this from refugees to whom I have spoken directly, and also from a young friend whose parents illegally fled El Salvador on a boat when, after several threats, they returned home 1 day to find their house blown up and pieces of their children and extended family quite literally spread all over the street. They sold what was left of their belongings to fund both their fares. (My friend was born later, here). They have since been granted refugee status in Australia.

3. If you are fleeing your country in secret then the last thing you want to carry with you is ID, in case you are intercepted along the way. Anyway, many of the societies involved here are composed largely of villages and are not sufficiently modern to have written ID.

4. Because if your own government wants to kill/torture you it doesn't matter what their poliical grouping is called or what their reason is. Your choice is still the same - get out surreptitiously or wait around to be tortured/murdered. My own parents saw this connection and always gave generous support when they could to organisations who helped refugees.

5. I've always supported a fair go for EVERYONE, Australian or otherwise.

6. Forcing any addict to conquer their obsession cold turkey, especially one who has just fled persecution and may well have had close family murdered, is one hell of a big ask and would probably tip them over the edge into mental illness. I had one Australian friend who due to a truly awful childhood grew up addicted to heroin, nicotine, speed and alcohol in an effort to dull her painful memories. With professional help she eventually gave up the 2 illegal drugs but couldn't control her craving for the others. I personally detest the smell of cigarettes but having watched others struggle to give them up I recognise what a strong addiction it is (ask any current or ex-smoker if you don't believe me).

7. I agree with you entirely on that one. Secure detention is THE most expensive way in which to accommodate them. If we let them live in the community we would save most of that. REMEMBER - they have committed no crime. International law recognises that a person fleeing their own government cannot apply from their homeland to enter another country for obvious reasons. Therefore it is NOT a crime to arrive without a visa or other papers (see 3 above) and declare yourself to be a refugee You only become an illegal entrant if you do not make yourself known asap to the government of your host country on arrival or if your claim for refugee status is later declared invalid.

8 I have and I do.

9. Because your comments make it obvious that a racist is what you are. Just as my comments make it obvious that I have a lot more empathy and compassion than you do. A democracy allows everyone to speak their mind, not just you. You only reveal yourself to be a fool if you justify your opinions with specious arguments rather than logical ones. I've given logical reasons for all of mine. Can you?

10. Who said that we should? But our adoption since WW2 of many foreign foods and customs IN ADDITION to our own has enriched our society manyfold. When I was a child you couldn't buy pizza or a decent coffee anywhere, the only cheeses available were Cheddar and Tasty, and smallgoods were unheard of!