Criminals - We do not need !

Australian taxpayers have every right to be angry at news from Nauru.   A mob of 150 Iranian asylum seekers rioted on the island because they were angry at the time taken to process their refugee status claims.   They caused sixty million dollars damage to the facilities when they took and held hostages - and torched the new, two storied accommodation blocks, the medical centre, administration offices - and destroyed the camp water tanks.

As a result, 545 other men are now housed in tents and 130 rioters are in detention and will face court.   What happens next is something that requires a vast change of attitude on the part of this country's reaction  to criminals who consider they have a " right " to force their way into this country - and who will disregard our laws if their wishes are not granted as quickly as they desire.

Australia is a signatory to a United Nations convention which seems to lean over backwards in awarding " rights " to anyone who claims to be seeking asylum.  This definition is both wide and porous, and applies to many who clearly wish to enjoy the economic benefits of gaining Australian citizenship.   The convention forbids returning those rejected to their home country - if any sort of danger still exists.

Australia needs to make it clear to the UN that we are not going to house people who come here with no intention of obeying our laws and being good citizens - and that includes those who riot and damage the property used to process their applications.   If returning such people to their country of origin is not acceptable to the UN, then we withdraw from that convention.

It is also prudent to re-examine the terms under which we grant citizenship.   As things stand, once citizenship is granted it is a safeguard against deportation, irrespective of any crime committed.    It would be  more equal to grant citizenship on a provisional basis.    A new citizen should be required to obey our laws and  live within the terms of the oath taken for a period of review - before that citizenship is finally made irrevocable.

The vast majority who pass through our immigration control system go on to become good citizens.   What is wrong with the present system is the lack of measures to quickly weed out and return those who have no intention of being absorbed into the Australian way of life - and who have scant respect for the Australian legal system.

Those 130 rioters on Nauru  failed their initial " citizenship test " !