alp goes to water as boats threaten sovereignt, page-22

Asylum applicants who apply with the government for refugee status agree to wait for an assessment of their claim. To my knowledge, the length of time spent waiting is neither the sole criterion nor even the main criterion for determining priority. In fact it's more or less determined by greatest need at any given point in time, ie. which group faces the most immediate danger to their persons. This is an established precendent across the world, and is so for good reason.

Naturally you can believe whatever you like about how the intake process works, or should work, and the motives of the applicants and how inclined they are to exploit Australia's welfare apparatus, but I think most HotCopper opinions on these subjects are based on unquestioned myths and falsehoods.