The entire mainstream topic is nothing but misinformation, but the weird thing is, no one is fixing that misinformation.
Every man and his dog with at least two brain cells KNOWS illegal immigrants that come from boats barely register a blip on the entire number of illegals. Asylum seekers ... well ... we created half of them. With EV-ER-Y-ONE knowing the reality of the 'boat people' issue, why is it still a contentious topic?. The government - all four of them (elected, not elected, the people, and big business) - would HAVE to know the reality of what exactly is coming off the boats and how significant those numbers ACTUALLY are in the grand scheme of things. So why is it, they don't fix it?.
Is it, that they don't actually WANT it fixed?. The problem with that, is the topic is a HUGE problem for all the governments and gave Howard fucking nightmares. They would HAVE to know that it would be VASTLY cheaper setting up an on-shore vetting base - for the want of a better word - and run a campaign on the ACTUAL significance of these people that come off boats to the actual numbers of illegals in Australia.
If you want to look at this another way. Let's consider illegal immigration a virus - which they would have you believe it is. Boat people represent an airborne virus attacking the skin and air ways. There's a defined border that they need to get past in order to be a problem. There are ways to protect those air ways and I believe they do so VERY effectively. On the other hand, illegals coming on visas of various descriptions are like a virus being piped STRAIGHT into the blood stream.
Which, in reality, is more of a threat?. Isn't it obvious?. They would HAVE to know this. So why then, do those illegals not even register a BLIP in the debate. It fucken baffles me.
A coupla thoughts on this.
Who exactly would the spotlight turn on if they actually fixed 'the boats' issue - which they could tomorrow -with some basic steps in place?.... wait for it .... waaaait .... tourists. The vast majority of illegals come off of expired visas. In order to gain ANY visa you have to prove you can sustain yourself for the period of your stay based on your type of visa. This means money. This money gets pumped straight back into the Australian economy until they run out of money then a huge percentage of the people on visas leave; a chunk don't.
Boat illegals come here with nothing. They are a cost from the get go. IF governments went completely right wing on the REAL illegal problem, how much tourism would we lose?. Illegal immigration from boats has so many red flag issues associated with it that it makes an EASY distraction from the REAL ineptitude of border defence. They CANNOT defend the border from individuals on holiday and working visas. But they can be seen to ATTEMPTING to defend the border from fishing boats.
Reverse psychology from the gubbermint. By being seen as struggling to fix the boat people 'problem' it distracts from the absolute inability to fix the illegals problem on the whole. Interesting fucken thing.
People want to hate. That's just how it is. Whether it's Muslim darkies coming here in leaky boats to take our jobs and blow up kindergartens for Allah or Maroons bashing NSWers out the back of the Caxton over the prospect of a footy game. Bring that shit into politics, and any time you can make someone actually-not-that-badly-off (cue the westies in their McMansions) that (a) they're doing it tough and (b) it's the fault of [insert punching bag group here], it's usually electoral gold. THAT was the reason Howard went after boat persons. Not because they were a threat, but because Labor was.
ReplyDeleteAdditional - to state the bleeding haemmoraghing obvious - the illegals who overstay are almost always white. Euros, Poms, Irish and North Americans. While boaties might come here with little, I wouldn't say that boat people aren't a net gain to the community. Think about the last gen of boaties - the Vietnamese - and how much they added to the country. I liked Bob Hawke's take on it - they've got courage, balls and resourcefulness to have even got this far, it's what the country needs. And FFS we're ALL boat people.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.
ReplyDeleteI also get why they are all so hot for an off shore detention facility, though its much more expensive and 'sending jobs overseas'. It prevents refugees from seeking redress through the Australian legal system.
ReplyDeleteThis effectively removes many of options available to refugees for redress of any decisions made by a government immigration official.
My only statement would be - what would you do?
ReplyDeleteIf you found yourself in a country where the government may kill or torture you because of your religion, education, job or family - how far would you go to get yourself and your loved ones away from that and to a better life??
How would you feel if after that you were stuck in refugee bureaucratic limbo for years and years without any hope of getting out?
I am pretty sure I would spend every cent I had and make every effort I could to get to somewhere better...
Wouldn't you?