Most refugees are highly motivated

It puzzles me why arrangements are not being made with the Indonesian Government to process refugees there and then move them to Australia when approved.

It is in Indonesia that the people smugglers have their operational base and networks so the supply of customers for them would basically dry up.

Apparently the Howard Government funded the International Organisation of Migration quite handsomely, from 2001, to set up a de facto processing centre there to house and feed the refugees, promising them eventual resettlement.

This practice stopped the flow for some time but it could not be a long-term solution.

Most refugees are highly motivated, committed migrants.

We should welcome them, train them and get them in the workforce as soon as possible instead of detaining them somewhere for years.

The "deterrence" syndrome should go.

What are we talking about, 10,000 more a year?

It is both laughable and tragic that this issue exists at all.

Does it have something to do with public misconceptions and who votes for what major party?

Email, 26 Jun 2012

Klaas Woldring, Pearl Beach