Well at least Rudd is assured of a vote from one section of the community, however I wonder how many pensioners who really dont have a clue about politics and voting (or things in general) will still think the Sun rises from Rudd's underpants?

BigVal, it's interesting to look at the recent past.

Note this, the day before the election.



Paul Kelly and Dennis Shanahan From: The Australian November 23, 2007 12:00AM

[b]KEVIN Rudd has taken a tough line on border security, [/b]warning that a Labor government [b]will turn the boats back and deter asylum-seekers[/b], using the threat of detention and the nation's close ties with Indonesia.





And this from the same article.

the Opposition Leader advocated a layered approach to border security based on "effective laws, effective detention arrangements, [b]effective deterrent posture vis-a-vis vessels approaching Australian waters".[/b]



[url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/rudd-to-turn-back-boatpeople/story-e6frg8yx-1111114943944]Source[/url]

Unbelievable!

I also think Rudd needs to take a very tough stand on the boat people--and well over due

Australia has an annual refugee quota of 13,750.

So why are we so concerned about the 4500 or so boatpeople who have attempted to seek asylum in Australia since the ALP was elected about 2 1/2 years ago?

The overwhelming majority of people who try to enter Australia illegally by boat are ultimately assessed to be legitimate refugees



The ones critical of the boat people never talk about the fact that Australia has about 50,000 visa overstayers, mostly from the US, Britain and China.

Good observation fwed. Just 1 minor point. The 50,000 + overstays

don't get housed for free in 4 star motels, don't get access to Housing

Commission homes, don't get Centerlink, don't ever draw a pension,

don't get Medicare or free education & indirectly pay taxation.

Two more boats overnight 'stopped'....containing 110 illegals.

110x $80,000? ...just for starters. Then there are the cell phones, computers, , motel accommadation, shopping trips...

[url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/triton-intercepts-119-asylum-seekers-off-wa/comments-e6frg12c-1225878879673]link[/url]

Looked at the ABC w'site. Nothing there of course, it's not big news anymore.

As someone points out in the comments...watch out if you're a pensioner and earn a few $$over the allowed figure..whammy, off comes 30 cents in the $.

Good observation fwed. Just 1 minor point. The 50,000 + overstays

don't get housed for free in 4 star motels, don't get access to Housing

Commission homes, don't get Centerlink, don't ever draw a pension,

don't get Medicare or free education & indirectly pay taxation.



But the visa overstayers do take jobs that could be had by Australians and do not pay income tax.

While a few refugees have been put up in a motel , most are in detention centres.

I thought that they only get what you claim they get after their refugee status was approved and they were allowed to stay - maybe I am wrong on that though.

fwed, we have 5.2% unemployment & that means that virtually all people

who want to work, have a job. If you pay somebody cash, "under the table"

it means that you are in effect liable for the tax yourself & this is

inevitably at a higher rate. Refugees are mainly held in a detention

centre on Christmas Island, where they are housed for free, get all

meals for free, where they have colour TV, swimming pools, gyms

& recreation halls all free. Why would they need money? Everything

is of a resort level & free. Just ask emma_chizit if he/she would be

prepared to swap his room & paltry pension, including all bills, for

resort accommodation, fully found, on Christmas Island.

Also, an asylum-seeker family of two adults and two children receive

$300 cash and $766 store credit each fortnight. A single adult receives

$100 cash & $360 store credits & unlike your pension, this is all

untaxable.

Also, an asylum-seeker family of two adults and two children receive

$300 cash and $766 store credit each fortnight. A single adult receives

$100 cash & $360 store credits & unlike your pension, this is all

untaxable.



Interesting Innes - is this on top of the 89% of Newstart or whichever applies to each person arriving on that day or part of it?



and isn't the "store credit" the thing the left is saying is so bad and should not be applied as it is currently to the abo's in NT as quarantine of their welfare benefits to make sure they don't buy booze over food for themselves and kiddies?

But the visa overstayers do take jobs that could be had by Australians and do not pay income tax.



[color=red]Evidence that employers are avoiding taking income tax from wages and salaries of those overstayers?[/color]



While a few refugees have been put up in a motel , most are in detention centres.



[color=red] only until the CI place is full and then they are moved to the mainland where they are moving a load of Afghani men today who cant be processed because of the embargo put on by Rudd himself - but who will now have access to our courts to object to this as seemingly no one has said not - and they have free legal activist lawyers paid by the taxpayer - we of course have to find these fees ourselves[/color]







I thought that they only get what you claim they get after their refugee status was approved and they were allowed to stay - maybe I am wrong on that though.



[color=blue] I already posted on here the media release from the Dept saying they get paid 89% of Newstart or the equivalent for their status on day they arrive on CI. This was in response to the emails being found here which actually applied to USA saying they got more than an Age pensioner. [/color]

Also, an asylum-seeker family of two adults and two children receive

$300 cash and $766 store credit each fortnight. A single adult receives

$100 cash & $360 store credits & unlike your pension, this is all

untaxable.



Innes , please tell me where you get these figures from.

FYI, I do not pay tax on my pension.



Asylum seekers in Australia who have not yet had their protection claims decided have no access to Centrelink benefits.



In Australia, refugees [b]granted[/b] permanent visas have access to benefits on the same basis and at the same rates as other Australian permanent residents.



Refugees received no cash payments under Australia’s Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy. Any claims that refugees are given free houses are ridiculous.



DIAC helps eligible refugees with English-language lessons and settling-in assistance including basic goods to start a household, as well as subsidies for rent and utilities for their first four weeks in the country.



Source: Government of Australia

fwed, those figures are available from the federal Government site.

Did I say that you are paying tax on your pension? No!!! I actually said

that your pension IS taxable. However you don't actually pay tax because

you are below the threshold for pensioners. You say:-

"Asylum seekers in Australia who have not yet had their protection claims

decided have no access to Centrelink benefits"

So what ??????? I have already told you that they get the allowances, as

detainees, NOT from Centerlink. You can only register with Centerlink

if you are an Australian citizen or have PR.

Where did I say that they get free houses? I actually said that they are,

on Christmas Island, HOUSED for FREE, NOT that they get free houses.

Innes , I asked you where you got your figures from. Is that too much trouble to back up your claim ?



If they do not get it from centerlink, where does it come from.

BigVal has been making wrong statements that they get 89% of newstart from the day they arrive on Christmas Is. That is BS and I think you know that.



Asylum seekers in Australia, who have not yet had their protection claims decided, have no access to Centrelink benefits.



Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme payments to [b]eligible[/b] asylum seekers and allowances paid to people in community detention on Christmas Island are paid 89 per cent of the Centrelink Newstart allowance – less than the aged pension.



Maybe you are going on a hoax email that was reportedly from canada but I do not think you can back up your statements.

All you do is post doom and gloom and incorrect statements.

Hi BigVal, this is the net allowance given to the detainees from day one.

I can't find anything on the 89% of Newstart, but I understand that there

is a mathematical relationship. Possibly it is a combination of the cash

& the store credits. BTW, you are correct; this is the SAME store credits

although I have heard that it is not very difficult to swap the credits for a

reduced cash in hand. I question why we maintain Christmas Island?

We are now housing detainees on the mainland therefore giving them

full access to the Court system, & this was the only reason Howard set

up Christmas Island. If we are giving them full access to the Court

system, we might as well close Christmas Island & save a fortune, because

motel accommodation is a lot cheaper.