1. Asylum Seekers are Illegal Australia Already Takes Too Many Refugees We're Being Swamped by Hordes of Boat People They're Not Real Refugees Anyway They Must Be 'Cashed up' to Pay People Smugglers There is no Alternative to Mandatory Detention Boat People are Queue Jumpers

2. Myths about Asylum Seekers

3. Boat People are Queue Jumpers Often there are no queues for people to jump. Countries like Somalia have no government to even issue passports Australia hasn’t embassies in countries where most refugees come from. Few countries between the Middle East and Australia have signed the 1951 Refugee Convention

4. Asylum Seekers are Illegal Under Australian and International Law you can apply for asylum in another country when escaping persecution. Oppressive authorities may prevent normal migration processes.

5. Asylum Seekers are Illegal 'Illegals' are people who overstay their visas. Vast majority from western countries, (eg 5,000 British tourists.) (cont…)

6. Australia Already Takes Too Many Refugees Gaza Strip hosts one refugee for every 2 Gazan people (1:2) Jordan 1:11 Tanzania 1:76 Germany 1:456 Britain 1:530 Australia 1:1583

7. We're Being Swamped by Hordes of Boat People in 2000, 300 000 refugees arrived in Europe to seek asylum. 4174 reached Australia by boat or plane. Iran and Pakistan each hosted over a million Afghan refugees. Burden of assisting refugees is borne in the main by the world's poorest nations.

8. They're Not Real Refugees Anyway 97% of applicants from Iraq successful (1999) 93% of applicants from Afghanistan Generally, 84% of all asylum seekers are found to be legitimate.

9. They Must Be 'Cashed up' to Pay People Smugglers UNHCR says payments range from $4000 - $5000 AUD. Many families and communities pool resources to send relatives to safety.

10. There is no Alternative to Mandatory Detention Australia is the only Western country that compulsorily detains asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are not criminals Costs of $104 a day per head Parole: $5.39. Probation: $3.94. Home Detention: $58.83

11. Sources Edmund Rice Centre www.erc.org.au www.erc.org.au Amnesty International www.amnesty.org.au www.amnesty.org.au