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HomeYour LettersSaving lives

Saving lives

SG Thomas, the only thing that is a complex issue is YOU. What a load of rot that refugees can pick and choose where they go. Okay, let’’s start at the beginning. People leave these completely war torn and poverty stricken countries under desperation to survive and then put their lives and children’s lives at extreme risk to do so, not with the thought “LET’S GO TO AUSTRALIA – THE DOLE’S GOOD”.
Refugees are in lots of countries around the world by the millions and some have been there for up to 10 years. They have been processed, however are never guaranteed to arrive in Australia or anywhere before they may die, however you say they are refusing to go to Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand. You must have a very imaginative mind SG Thomas to think of these things – “Let’s say no to those countries, let’s pick Australia – they pay good dole”. What a load of crap and a complete untruth.
Let’s open your eyes… Australia takes 17,000 genuine refugees from around the world after being processed by the United Nations teams. Australia then decides who they take (not the other way around as you say). On most occasions they are skilled or semi-skilled labour with preference to families, not permanent dole bludgers like some of our true blue Aussies.
Thomas, what’s wrong with that? However, from your imaginative mind you conjure up the theory refugees say NO to other countries because “We don’t have to work in Australia and can get the dole”, it’s truly unbelievable these refugees have worked out a very good conspiracy theory of how to get the dole. Rather than living somewhere else that they might not be killed or starve.
Okay SG Thomas, let’s say we uproot you, send you and your whole family to a war zone in complete poverty and pay you $1000 a year – how long do you think you would last before you risk your lives to get out?
You say they only come here because they can earn 12 times their income on the dole – this is really offensive, both to them and to compassionate Australians. Tell me… name just three recent refugees that you know of in the Southern Downs region that are on the dole and proud of it – I bet you can’t.
Don’t confuse these honest, genuine, poor refugees that have been in the queue for a long time with a few people coming on boats who are not genuine and will be sent away and processed and have to wait their turn for possibly many years and with no guarantee they will be relocated in Australia.
Just for the dole? I don’t think so.

Trevor Hardie
Tenterfield

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