Marine Taxi Service (the Australian version)

Asylum seekers rescued off Indonesia
Updated 3 hours 0 minutes ago


A boat of asylum seekers have been rescued off Indonesia and are being taken by a merchant ship to Christmas Island.

The boat was 45 nautical miles south of Java in the Sunda Strait and is believed to have been carrying about 180 people.

Full story here:   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-22/asylum-boat-with-180-on-board-stricken-off-java/4275636

Another call went out yesterday for an Australian marine taxi service!  Why were they not returned to Indonesia?  They were, afterall, in Indonesian waters, were they not?

This matter of backdooring Australia's immigration laws is now beyond farcical.  It's obscene. I hold both the Rudd and Gillard Labor Government fully responsible for the appalling state of our border control.  Further, the current Labor Government should be held accountable.  They were the ones who dispensed with a solid working policy of offshore processing and Temporary Protection Visas.

Since this incompetent mob has been running the show, over 20,000 backdoorers (I understand) have entered Australia at the expense of desperate people waiting for years in refugee camps.

I am not against legal immigration, provided it is controlled.  I am, however, strongly against people who pay large amounts of money to criminals to get a seat on a boat headed for Christmas Island or other parts of Australian territory.  It's even more galling when these people deliberately dispense with identification papers obviously in their possession when they left their country of birth and travelled through other countries to reach Indonesia.  I am also very suspicious that credible and diligent investigation is not being applied to these 'stateless' people prior to their release into the community.

Australia, unfortunately, is changing.  To her detriment, in my opinion.  I have no faith in the current Government to do the right thing for all Australians.  I have no faith in the current Department of Immigration, nor have I faith in the current Minister for Immigration, Chris Bowen.  I contend people are being pushed through the revolving immigration door because it's expedient.  I suspect people are being given the all clear to enter our community when, in fact, the reverse should apply.  I also consider the burden on Australia's welfare system is becoming unsustainable.  Where are the checks and balances in relation to these recent arrivals with regard to whether or not they are rent-seeking or actually contributing to our society?  I would be interested to know the numbers of immigrants granted access to this country who are gainfully employed compared to those immigrants who are accepting welfare.  The figures would be worthy of some scrutiny.