To think Australia have really gone and done it now?? Shocked and disgusted.

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

Australia have removed themselves from the UN Refugee Convention.

here...this happened only today

They've basically decided that ANY refugee coming to Australia on a boat will now be "processed" on one of their offshore facilities....like Manus Island where there have been numerous suicide attempts and conditions are DREADFUl with people slepeing in places with no doors or in metal storage containers...this is in HIGH heat.

I am shocked. And disappointed... we are talking about refugees here. People already traumatised and lost. The places they're being sent to now are already under investigation for their disgusting conditions.

They are strict on immigration, not a soft touch. I can't think of anywhere in the world that is currently a war zone that would have Australia as it's first port of call, which is where refugees are supposed to go, to the first safe haven and claim asylum.

Not surprised they were trying to get out of taking refugees back in 2001 when there were boat loads of their shores - it is pretty disgusting behaviour

It's awful :(

It is disgusting and it's doing nothing to dispel the rumours of racism in Australia. I love Australia...my DDs are half Aussie....I feel sad about this.

But I can't say I'm shocked after Australia's treatment of past refugees - eg the Tampa incident.

that is truly shocking

There is talk of diseases such as malaria and typhoid being rife on Manus...none of the sleeping areas have doors and so families have no privacy. The heat there is intense and can you imagine that...no door to keep the heat out......this is Papua New Guinea we're talking about...they've got little children living in these conditions and won't admit it.

That country has a ugly ugly history and they're in no hurry to clean their image. All the money in the world and I still wouldn't spit on it let alone touch it. Yuck.

Terrible but not surprising unfortunately.

Gosh that's awful.

My experience and friend's experience of intense bigotry in Australia makes its very much not surprising though.

It doesn't surprise me tbh. They can't even have their peace with the indiginous people of Australia. They continually balls it up.

I laugh when they say its a new nation, new country. Utter rubbish, there were people already living here, you just decided it was nice,and tried to kill all the locals.

I'll get off my soap box now.

Didn't Australia start out as a British prison colony? Didn't British authority sell Australia bit by bit to British settlers and throw natives out of their land?

Whose fault is Australia's ugly history, I wonder?

Cote it did yes....but those British people who did that were from another century. Their ancestors....at least the ones in Britain have moved on. Shame the same can't be said for those in Oz.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to "move on" in regions with huge historical injustices.

Look at Israel and the Palestinians.

You can't compare Israel to Australia.

Woah. Less of the stereo typing of an entire country please! Red necks? I'm British but live in Oz - not every Aussie is racist; plenty are disgusted by these actions.

What does "British people who did that were from another country" mean?

Yes...rednecks. Not ALL of them but really. This is what they will appear as to the rest of the civilized world.

Cote...another CENTURY.

Then I assume you are a chav.

Why can't I compare Israel to Australia, if there are similarities in the way the native population was treated by the newcomers?

Is it because I might be called "anti-Semite" if I say anything at all that is not positive about the Israeli state, whereas Australians are apparently fair game?

it says century not country

I am Aussie and I am not a redneck. Please stop being racist. Just because we are white does not make it ok to slag us off.

My children are Aussie and my DH is Ausse iPad. I'm not racist.