Just thought I'd compile some statistics from official websites that are government bodies or government-funded agencies. Hopefully this will bring some rationale to the tone of argument here and there.
AUSTRALIA'S REFUGEE PROGRAM
Facts + Stats
MYTHS ABOUT REFUGEES
There is a lot of confusion about refugees: not just about who they are but also about the impact they have on Australian life. Here are just some of the myths:
Charity begins at home: we should help Aborigines and other disadvantaged groups in Australia first!
"Charity" is not something that should be considered in terms of "us" and "them". If we are being responsible members of the human community we should seek ways to assist all those in need.
Refugees take our jobs which is balanced by the contradictory myth: all refugees go on unemployment benefits.
It is true that newly arrived refugees have higher unemployment rates than the community average. This is not unexpected. Amongst the refugee arrivals are people who have been tortured and deeply traumatised. This can interfere with employment. There are also a significant number of entrants whose qualifications are not recognised in Australia and they need time to make adjustments. There is also the issue of learning English. Refugees are entitled to 510 hours of free English language instruction which must be taken in the first 2 years - and it is beneficial that the entrants do this as they are unlikely to do this later.
The fact that refugees "come from behind" in the employment stakes highlights the need for specifically targeted intervention programs that recognise issues such as their trauma, their unrecognised qualifications and their lack of English. Targeted programs that do this have shown that they are very successful at placing refugees in the workforce. If we are to bring refugees to Australia (and it is Australia's decision that we do so) it is important that we recognise their specific needs and address these. If we do this, we will reap the benefits. Most refugees want to work, both to restore their damaged sense of self esteem and to repay what they see as their debt of gratitude to Australia for providing them with protection.
Whether "refugees take our jobs" is the sort of question that has no easy answer. Refugees do compete for jobs but they are also consumers. Because they arrive with nothing they have to purchase household goods, clothing etc, all of which provides jobs for the people who make and sell these commodities.
Refugees have no right to come here and expect us to help them.
Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries freedom from persecution".
It is an accident of birth that we are born in a country where human rights are respected. Do we have a moral right to protect these at the expense of others? This does not mean that Australia alone must take the full burden for protecting the persecuted. It does mean that we have to play a part in an international response that includes a wide spectrum of initiatives from addressing root causes to providing asylum to people whose human rights have been violated.
Refugees are economic migrants who come here to get a better life.
The distinction between refugees and migrants is outlined on the FAQs page.
Refugees get all sorts of handouts from the government.
As will be outlined on the FAQs page, refugees essentially have the same rights and entitlements as permanent residents. They are, however, exempt from the waiting period for Social Security benefits and they get 510 hours of free English language instruction and some get access to post-arrival assistance. These extra entitlements are in recognition of their particular needs.
If we let one in, they will come in floods.
Australia is one of the most difficult countries in the world to get to. We have no common borders and there are universal visa requirements and carrier sanctions. Because of this it is highly unlikely that we will ever see the large numbers of asylum seekers other countries experience.
There is also the erroneous perception in the public's mind that everyone in the world wants to come to Australia. We are little known in the total scheme of things and far less of an incentive than countries such as the United States.
It is realistic to expect that asylum seekers will keep coming to Australia but unlikely that there will be "floods" of people with the wherewithal and inclination to make the journey by irregular means.
The best way for Australia to deal with asylum seekers is to process their claims expeditiously. This way those in need of protection receive it and those whose claims are without merit can returned to their country of origin to "send a message" to others in similar circumstances that it is not so easy to get to Australia.
One of the things that is important to recognise in this debate is that any response a country makes must protect those in genuine need of protection ie there must be the presumption of a genuine claim until it is determined to be otherwise, not the presumption that the person is rorting the system.
Refugees cannot possibly contribute anything to us.
It is a myth that all refugees are illiterate peasants. The majority that come to Australia are educated middle class people - whose education, profession or political opinions have drawn them to the attention of the authorities and resulted in their persecution.
By definition refugees are survivors. They have survived because they have the courage, ingenuity and creativity to have done so. These are qualities which we value in Australia. The challenge for Australia is to assist newly arrived refugees to process the experiences of their past and rebuild their lives in Australia. If we do this we will reap the benefits of the qualities and experiences they bring to Australia.
Other myths about refugees and asylum seekers can be found on the website of
Edmund Rice Centre
at least i brought the lamb in the story 
