My memory goes back prior to World War II. A small child at the time; however, I certainly remember our fear of being invaded.
After the war, my parents and others tried very hard to bring out a few individual survivors and I know it was fraught with a lot of red tape.
My father complained.
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READ NOWI recall photographs of almost skeletal looking individuals behind barbed wire on Cyprus.
Eventually this lot fought their way to Israel. Once there, they quickly developed a plan to receive all Jews unwanted by the rest of the world, plus all those who wished to volunteer to assist them by being able to reside at a kibbutz and work in exchange for food.
During the 1960s, I was one of those volunteer workers. They came from all around the world, mainly non-Jews. We were not overworked and there was plenty of time for fun.
I suppose non-professional migrants went through the kibbutz system. They would study the language half a day and do work the other half, mainly farm work.
We lived in shacks, we were young, it was fun.
Why Australia treats our newcomers like helpless and hopeless individuals I do not know.
They got here and they obviously intend to survive. They need the means, the plot of land with water; seed and the materials required. Give them a 10-year visa where they could live safely and prove themselves. The rest of the world does not live in a four by two, brick- and-tile house and drives to the office each day.
Mr Abbott wants to open the far north; but better to do it with friends and this is an opportunity.
These people are persecuted, they are not stupid incompetents. If they were given materials to build their own communities, they might think twice about destroying them.
They need occupation, preferably skills and they could then later help those from where came at some future date.
I wish the politicians would stop behaving like colonial headmasters.