It took me 2 days to pluck up the courage to open this thread....You see, in Australia we are a bit sensitive about people and boats. Especially when they are leaky old tubs with one trip left in them - namely the transport of people from the Middle East and SE Asia onto our doorstep.
Whilst I was pleased to find that this thrad had nothing to do with boat people, I felt the need to get something off my chest - mainly because I recently spoke to an Aussie (who now resides overseas) that intends to relinquish his citizenship because of the way we treat refugees.
The attempts to establish just who and who isn't worthy of staying in this country (from the Dept of Immigration's perspective anyway) seem to have brought us kicking and screaming into the spotlight of the world's press and no doubt to you all as well.
I think I speak on behalf of many Australians (wink e-) when I say that we DO feel sorry for these people but resent them "queue jumping" and, now that they are here, simply just don't know what to with them. I think that the fact it takes 3 years or more to process some people's applications whilst they languish in detention camps is NOT a demonstration of xenophobia, but moreso a demonstration of compassion made moribund by bureaucracy.
Anyway, in case you've been inclined to, please don't judge us by the bayings of a hungry press in the slow news season. In my experience, overseas visitors all seem to go away with the friendliness of the local folk high on their list of why this is such a great country.
almostbutnotquitebackyet stales (give me another 12 hours!!)
