It's time for a new approach to dealing with asylum seekers who arrive here by boat. Current and past policies have failed to deter boat arrivals and are enormously costly socially, and financially - and to human rights. Both the government and opposition cling to the fallacy that severe treatment of asylum seekers will deter more people from coming here. It is time to acknowledge that there is no easy way of solving this problem. Both major parties need to change their approach. Let us have debate based on facts, using moderate language.
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This
is a worldwide and regional problem and cannot be solved by one nation acting unilaterally. Nations in a region must work together. Engage countries in our region in constructive discussion on mutually beneficial ways of processing
asylum
seekers. Attack the people smuggling trade and its sources, not the hapless young men who are inveigled into
manning
the boats. Speedily process and place in the community the genuine refugees who have arrived here.The benefits of a more positive approach to
dealing
with asylum seekers would include a more humane and decent society and standard of public debate and the
contribution made
by new citizens strongly motivated to make a decent future for their families.
Pat Horan
Sebastopol
