Adventure Ausrama Blog

Australians like space. The major cities are relatively sparsely populated by world standards yet we still try to shun them to avoid people. Perhaps we are spoiled for space. Australia is the most sparsely populated country after Mongolia. Yes that is a fact. We do not hold the record, though many still claim it. Another issue is - What is a city? For world records this can be a problem. An "average" Chinese city would have more people than the whole of Australia. Some Australian politicians are aiming to keep our cities small in the near future. But is this still possible in a world seemingly full of refugees? Time will tell if placing refugees overseas from Australia will work.  It will certainly cost us a great deal.  Tony Abbott's idea of turning the boats around will only cause refugees to put a hole in their boat.  Most boats are seriously overloaded and unseaworthy anyway, so they should be taken into safe custody.  Ignoring safety concerns could be breakin...

People want to come to Australia. They get on a leaky old boat, paying their life savings to the traffickers, thinking they will soon be in the promised land. However, if they did not leave as genuine refugees they will be on the boat back home. Only a few days ago those who were not refugees were forcibly removed. A riot recently broke out between Afghans and Sri Lankans when the Afghans said the Sri L ankans didn't have a chance of getting residency. The truth is the war is over in Sri Lanka and two boats have just been stopped by Sri lankan Government vessels. Why do they want to live here? Well, social services and health now employ more people than retail. The mining industry is booming. People in developing countries hear that life is easy in Australia and the state looks after you. But do they know that coastal cities are short of houses and water runs out, often. Electricity is rapidly increasing in price. Council rates are rising faster than the rate of inflation...

There is an answer to the refugee problem. A the moment the Australian Federal Government is in talks with the Sri Lankan Government. Hopefully, some bright spark will have the courage to stand up and say it: Australian ships should take them back home and let them apply for refugee status through the usual means, if the country of origin agrees. And indeed there should be pressure to make them agree. There is a long queue to attain citizenship status. Boat people should be patient. In countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq, perhaps people fear going home, but these countries should take them back and give them protection. This may be simplistic. Nonetheless, it is the only answer when people are leaving to gain a better life and not running from oppression. The Tamils are clearly not running from oppression. The war is over. They should not be allowed to demand Australian citizenship and win. If they do win, we can expect all boat people from now on to refuse to get off ships taken to...