They are asylum seekers - a legal status under International Law. In fact, "illegals" are those who overstay their visas, and the vast majority of those in Australia are from western countries, including nearly 5000 British tourists per year. .
Not only has the Australian government and media led us to believe that asylum seekers are illegal, but they have also intentionally driven many Australians to suspect these people are terrorists. Two factors the government has taken advantage of include the majority of asylum seekers over the past 3 years have been from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the violence surrounding Woomera.
There is no evidence to support claims that asylum seekers are in any way linked to terrorism. Last year just 11 out of nearly 13 000 people who sought asylum in Australia were rejected on grounds of character. Out of these 11 people, one was considered a security risk and he had come by air, not by boat. What Australians do need to be informed of is that the people who seek asylum on our shores are fleeing from terrorism, not trying to bring it to Australia. Also, isn't it obvious to Australians that true conditions in the Woomera detention center weren't brought to the public eye until detainees expressed their outrage by sewing their mouths together, going on hunger strikes, or using other extreme measures? .
The only "solution" the Howard government attempted in 2001 was the Pacific Solution. This strange plan involved sending asylum seekers without authorisation to neighboring countries such as Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Nauru. Here they were detained until their positions were reviewed by Australian personnel and, after what can take months or even years, Australia will decide if the applicant is worthy of a temporary visa to Australia. By diverting boats of asylum seekers to pacific islands in exchange for aid and money, Australia is sending out the wrong message.
