why won't they call them illegal immigrants, page-23

yes - and ask the hard-working Sri Lankan community - the ones who've been here for thirty or forty or fifty years - their children born and educated here - all known and highly respected for their work ethic -

yet they have to cough up $20,000 cash deposit if any Aunty Mabel or Uncle Jeffrey wants to come visit - for a wedding, a funeral, an anniversary, or just to see family they haven't seen for yonks. A brief, innocent, family visit only!

Not only do the family have to find this money (and forfeit same if said visitor doesn't leave precisely on the day appointed to them by OUR " empathetic", "Caring". immigration officers, (the ones who so love boat people!), the family also has to buy health insurance coverage for each visitor, and gaurantee to put them up, house and feed them.

Many a lonely older lady, or gentleman, still fit, and not ill, has to return, sadly, to some institutional care in Sri Lanka, if they are childless, to live out their lonely lives. Unless they have families to care for and feed and house them, there is no welfare, and no hope for their futures.

Unlike boat people "refugees", with no ID, but with very adequate means, it seems, who pay no such deposits, suffer no such penalties for non-compliance, and who can, it seems enjoy the full benefits of extended family reunions downtrack, once they've dropped their first deliberately forwarded "anchor person" in our midst!

And it's not just decent Sri Lankan families who are suffering such gross discrimination - extending kindnesss and love to their dearly beloved relatives, parted forever by the tyranny of distance. Other nationalities suffer similar discrimination comparative to the easy ride family re-unions these paperless boat people receive.

And I speak of families who were solidly entrenched back in Colombo - very highly regarded people - yet so many now lonely and left to rot. Very decent, well regarded people - having run businesses - or been top diplomats in their day, or professionals, or having been very highly placed in Colombo "society". People who did much to help their own communities. Not good enough for us though. Not allowed to come in.

Because Australia won't let THEM in! Asylum seekers though - seems their whole families will end up all here - no worries! Age no barrier! And no doubt their ID's remaining inaccessible too! But will be allowed in, regardless!

Yes - these "boat people" get the red carpet - and floods of "bleeding heart" tears - pro bono legal aid from legal elites - but others who can prove who they really are, and are honest re. their paperwork histories, can go to hell in the "we care for them too" department.