Asylum Seekers in Australia - Short Essay

Asylum Seekers are people who fled from their homes in the face of persecution, or threats to their lives. But there is no reason why the Australian government should be obliged to welcome asylum seekers who use illegal methods to come here. We have the responsibility to protect our borders and way of life against what could amount to a huge influx of immigrants whose backgrounds and possible criminal status are unknown.

Detention is the only solution to the problem of how to treat asylum seekers humanely and fairly. Australia operates a number of well equipped detention centres that are able to meet the needs of all ages. These people are well fed and have comfortable shelter and security in contrast to the conditions they endured on their boats.

No fair-minded Australian would advocate leaving our borders unprotected against security threats. Therefore, we must conduct screening to check the backgrounds and legal status of all people who arrived illegally. Unfortunately, this takes time and therefore requires people to remain in detention centres until the process is complete. In the current climate of terrorism and considering Australia's support of the war on terror, we have a moral obligation to do everything we can to protect our borders against all possible threats.

While some people say that we must show compassion, it seems the most compassionate thing we can do for migrants and for all Australians is to ensure the safety of our people and that the proper system is used. This prevents risky criminal activities and exploitation, thereby preserving our nation's peace and