Tuesday 27 July 2010

How do illegal immigrants get into Australia

In a radio interview about her candidacy for the Australian Senate, Lin Hatfield Dodds claims that only 3 - 4% of Australia's illegal immigrants arrive via the boats that we hear so much about. The rest fly in on normal commercial planes.

If that's true, it makes a mockery of the endless political wrangling about protecting our shores from people smugglers. The few who arrive in boats are almost certainly genuine refugees who have risked their lives to escape an unliveable oppression. They deserve our compassion and care more than the other 96% who have the money to fly here in safety.