Jumping the queue

[rocketronnie]

[Pied Piper]

"Meanwhile, back on the ranch ... Poncho, disguised as a door, has had his knob shot off"

[rocketronnie]

[Tannin]

At last, a politician who gets it: To stop the refugee boats, start by setting up a visa queue in Quetta. Unfortunately, he is from the wrong side of the house - a bloody tory in short - but credit where it's due, this guy really does understand what's going on, and the fact that he is not the opposition spokesman on immigration just goes to show that Tony Abbott doesn't have a clue any more than Gillard does.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/to-stop-the-refugee-boats-start-by-setting-up-a-visa-queue-in-quetta/story-e6frg6zo-1225984620981

"It is probably inevitable that people will flee regional instability across the Middle East and southern and Southeast Asia. But it is being aggravated by the 1951 Refugee Convention, which drives people into neighbouring states to apply for asylum, only to discover massive waiting lists and years of delay. It is eminently safer, faster and more efficient for the UN to process refugees when they first cross borders; it also restricts criminal trafficking mostly to non-refugees.

"Two-thirds of Australia's arrivals originate from Afghanistan and Iraq, nations with democratically elected governments that we helped establish. Half of these arrivals are escaping little more than poverty and pockets of instability.

"Because the laws of refoulement don't apply to these non-refugees, they should be immediately returned to UNHCR safe zones in their region for economic reintegration. That doesn't occur because we have a federal government offering each of them the option to appeal Immigration's determination to a review tribunal, and a recent High Court determination allowing them to appeal that appeal. Even then, we merely invite them to return home.

"The Australian-funded AliceGhan residential complex in Kabul is an ideal resettlement base. It can accommodate 6000 people but is mostly empty.

Further on, he writes:

"Immigration loopholes at home add to the attraction of smuggling. The chance for family reunion visas lures extended families in Afghanistan to pool resources, smuggle individuals on to boats, then hope the remainder can follow. Until every person deserving asylum can get it, we should limit reunions to spouses and minors of the persecuted.

There is quite a bit more, all of it rational, practical, humane, and sensible. Recommended reading.

[Culprit]

The term Refugee needs an overhaul and nothing will happen unless the UN agreement Australia signed is put through the shredder. Whilst we have both sides of our house using this as a political football we will continue to ride the merry go round. In saying the more illegal’s get into Australia through the front door than by boat.

[Tannin]

Why not use the existing thread, Bruno?

[Culprit]

We need to start another.