I share your frustration. But you said, "If they want to seek asylum they can go to the Australian Embassy in the area they come from."
That's true but they are not legally required to do that. They are only required to request asylum, wherever they may be.
While it is technically illegal to enter Australia unannounced and unasked, as you say, it becomes a moot point when they then claim asylum under the UN convention on refugees and the law of the sea.
So, regardless what any poster here wants to believe, they are not illegal, by the sole virtue of claiming asylum when challenged.
This is obviously infuriating to the average australian and I have to say I'm not too happy about it myself. But there is only one workable solution and it certainly isn't Abbots blustering about turning boats around.
The solution is for australia to withdraw from the UN conventions that hamstring our ability to choose who comes here and who doesn't.
The result is that all arrivals become illegal and it becomes known that ALL illegal arrivals will automatically NEVER be granted citizenship or residency. All illegals will be immediately flown back where they came from. It may be expensive at first but suddenly it becomes no longer worthwhile coming here illegally. We may still retain some humanity and keep Xmas Island as a processing centre for refugees who present at foreign embassies.
