Hi All, Sorry if something like the following has already been said on this list. (I'm getting too many emails, and have too many non-IT processes queued up in my "wetware".) Yes, every human deserves the right to refuge from tyranny, oppression, and danger. No, not every human deserves to choose any country they want to live in. Certainly there is a grey area, between being a refugee and an illegal immigrant. And I've heard that 90+% of boat people end up qualifying as bona fide refugees. But logic dictates that a person who has traversed 5, 10, or 20 different countries and (when they arrive in Australia) suddenly declares "NOW I want to apply for asylum" does NOT have sanctuary as their PRIMARY motivation. (Hint: We have the second highest standard of living in the world -- see Inequality Adjusted Human Development Index.) If Australia has already accepted more refugees than (most) other countries (based on our respective ecological and financial capacities): Then it is ethically and logically correct to say "No, you can not settle here, but we will help you go somewhere else safe". Australia is not a magic pudding. Carl Bayswater