As one of the youngest people on HC, I must say the majority of you come across as backwards old farts. Good on you to the minority.
1) I don't consider them 'illegal' immigrants because in my eyes they've committed no crime. They're just immigrants.
2) Let them set up a life here is what I say. Educate them, give them jobs, locate them where labour is needed! I don't care if that means in my suburb as a lawyer or in the outback herding sheep. Be creative and match them up with where they could benefit Australia and Australia could benefit them. We're all afraid of a hard day's work anyway - that's why we trade, right?
3) Stop being so racist. If a bunch of Caucasians turned up on a boat you'd not feel so disinclined towards their entry. Hell, the Govt. would probably just assume they were on a cruise or something.
4) So many people tourists overstay their Visas. Once again, we let that slide because they flew here. We associate the method of entry with the quality of person.
5) In my short life the only real danger I've discovered in Australian society is young Caucasian males abusing substances and seeking violence for fun. Thrice I've been assaulted by these types, never by anybody Asian or Indian or anything else. In fact the nicest people I've ever known aren't born in Australia. Most of them are now Australian, and I consider them Australian, yet they originally came from abroad.
6) It took so long for Australia to say sorry to Indigenous Australians, how long will it take for us to say sorry to all of the immigrants we're mistreating? Will we ever learn from history?
7) The OP mentioned the official immigration method being a tough process. Well I think these boat people have more than proven themselves and have passed all immigration tests in my eyes. Risking your life and that of your family for a dream of a better existence truly resonates, even exceeds, Aussie values.
