By now the whole world must know how Australia treats refugees.  At the moment a Norwegian ship which rescued over 400 refugees, believed to be mainly from Afghanistan, is being refused entry to Australia.  The government is proposing tough new laws to redefine what a refugee is.  Refugees who have arrived by boat are put into inhumane detention centres, sometimes for years.

Enough is enough.  PLEASE BOYCOTT AUSTRALIA.  This country makes a lot of money out of backpackers and other tourists. SO PLEASE DON\'T COME HERE.  And when you decide not to come here, please email the Australian Tourism Authority and tell them why you are not coming here.  This is their email address: corpaffairs@atc.gov.au/

Also, please boycott Australian goods.  If you see something that is Australian made, not only don\'t buy it, but tell the person selling it why you are not buying it.  Ask them not to stock any more Australian goods.

The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs is Mr. Philip Ruddock.  This is the website on which you can make comments to him about our treatment of refugees.  You should also make comments about our treatment of indigenous Australians, because that is also appalling, as we\'re sure many of you know.  Please email Mr Ruddock and tell him you are boycotting Australia. http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/general/contacts.htm

Email this message to everyone you know.  If you know anyone who is thinking of coming to Australia, please ask them not to.  AUSTRALIA IS THE SOUTH AFRICA OF THE 21ST CENTURY.  AND MANY OF US ARE ASHAMED.  PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US.

This is a link to a story which is typical of many of the refugees who come to Australia: http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2000/412/412p13.htm


Below is a sample of letters on a recent forum about the Norwegian ship.  The balance of letters in terms of who is for letting in refugees and who is against is about right, but all the letters could not be included.  Unfortunately the nasty, negative attitudes of many people in this forum are representative of many in Australia and our government is pandering to them. 


 LETTERS TO NEWSPAPER FORUM:
Mr Ruddock and Mr Howard are absolutely right. It annoys me that Australians ridicule our government over a group of wealthy border jumpers when their illegal boat gets into trouble. Bad luck. They threaten to jump overboard rather than go back to Indonesia! Then jump because it does not sound like refugee status to me. Otherwise get in the queue for this great country of ours and apply legally. 
Richard Webbe 


The bleeding-heart lefty in me say\'s let them stay for compassionate reasons. But so does the hard-nosed economic rationalist: Australia\'s population is bordering on too small in terms of critical mass to develop the economic strength and strategic influence to which Australia aspires. The argument that immigratants steal jobs is absolute nonsense - more people creates more demand for goods and services, thus there will be more jobs - it is so obvious if you actually think about it. Please fellow Australians, stop being so petty minded and miserable - you are not doing yourselves or anyone else a favour by continuing too scapegoat these desperate people. 
Doug Coombes 


I believe that these people are the responsibility of the owners of the vessel that picked them up. If you rescue someone then you are to care for them. You cannot just dump them in the next port of call and say they are not your responsibility. Australia is taking in enough refugees, and these people should be sent back. 
Wayne R. Dyer 

The goverment, should turn the \"boat people\" back. To admit them would place a strain on our limited resourses.Where does it stop? Most I suspect are economic refuges, being told by relatives here of what a soft touch Australia is. 
John Ilsley 

Whilst every humanitarian effort should be made to look after the health of these people, we must not be seen as a haven for refugees to come as they please. People smuggling must stop and an International delema of this nature will advertise to the World that Australia can no longer accept it. It will also focus the world\'s attention on the problem and plight of these people and make all nations act to stop the unsatisfactory practices of both the smugglers and the governments of the countries from where these unfortunate refugees come. 
Alain O\'Brien 

The paying refugees aboard the Tampa should be disembarked at their port of disembarkation. They should be made to apply for entry through the prescribed channels as do the other unfortunates in their situation. If Australia succumbs to this form of emotional blackmail, it will open the floodgates forever. 
M.A. Fettes 

The sheer ignorance of my fellow countrymen is outstanding. It\'s those hypocritical Australians that call Mr. Howard\'s decision \"unhumanitarian\" that will be screaming in time to come about our lack of hospital beds and rate of unemployment and increased number of homeless! Not to mention the ever-increasing crime rate. How readily would you all open your own homes and clothe and feed the 438 Afghans on board that ship ? \'Cos I sure as hell don\'t want one cent of my hard earned taxes going toward those disease ridden criminals. I invite them to jump .. or starve .. or be sent back. Good on you John Howard, stay strong, you\'ve won my vote. 
Sonja Jensen 


I fully support John Howards stance on this issue. Enough is enough. If we keep letting them in, we\'ll never rid ourselves of the problem. It may sound cold and harsh, but these people have to understand that there is a right and a wrong way to enter another country and expect to stay legally. Where are we going to put them if we do accept them? Our detention centres are already overcrowded now. Then they riot etc if not allowed to stay here. Do we really need these types of people in our communities? If we do let them land on our shores, take them straight to the airport and return them to their own country. I hope Mr Howard does not buckle on this issue, as we are finished if he does. 
Kirsten Holdsworth 


I am appalled that the rest world is able to see how pathetic our government is. We could go back and say that most of our ancestors, grandparents and even parents have been \"boat people\" to some extent. What right has the government to refuse entry to these people who are escaping from obviously deplorable situations within their own country? Are they encroaching on Mr Howard or Mr Ruddock\'s life, No. They don\'t know these people, they will never meet then. They don\'t what disasters befalls them if these two bureaucrats decide to send them back. 
Mr Howard said along time ago that he didn\'t want to give One Nation preferences but in some way they are doing it now by adopting One Nation\'s policy. Listen to the United Nations, listen to humanity and let these people be given medical attention and hope. 
Lisa Brinkley