Clarke and Dawe on asylum seekers


Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 08/07/2010

Reporter: John Clarke and Brian Dawe

John Clarke and Bryan Dawe on politics and asylum seekers.


KERRY O'BRIEN, PRESENTER: Time for John Clarke and Bryan Dawe on politics and asylum seekers.

BRYAN DAWE: Now your name is Laurent?

JOHN CLARKE: Yes, that's right yes.

BRYAN DAWE: Do you have a first name?

JOHN CLARKE: Yes, Ignacious.

BRYAN DAWE: Ah Ig Ignorant.

JOHN CLARKE: That's right, yes.

BRYAN DAWE: And what do you do Iggy?

JOHN CLARKE: I'm consultant.

BRYAN DAWE: Right and who do you consult with?

JOHN CLARKE: Well, you know, you at the moment.

BRYAN DAWE: Right. Now your special subject tonight is Australia's immigration policy Iggy. Your questions start now best of luck. What is Australia's policy on asylum seekers?

JOHN CLARKE: Well seek a view from the electorate, see what....

BRYAN DAWE: No, no, no, no Iggy, I'll ask you that one again. What is the policy on refugees from other countries seeking asylum in Australia?

JOHN CLARKE: Well get a sense of what the electorate thinks and then say things that seem to address those anxieties in such a...

BRYAN DAWE: No, no, no, no, no,no. Listen to the question Iggy. What is the actual policy?

JOHN CLARKE: What today?

BRYAN DAWE: Well we might leave that one and move on I think. What percentage of the world's asylum seekers applications were made last year to Australia?

JOHN CLARKE: 98 per cent.

BRYAN DAWE: No that is incorrect.

JOHN CLARKE: 87 per cent?

BRYAN DAWE: No it was 0.5 of one per cent, Iggy.


BRYAN DAWE: Where did this rank Australia amongst the world's nations taking in refugees?


BRYAN DAWE: No, think about this Iggy, half of one per cent of the applications made in the world were made in applications to come Australia. So where did that rank us amongst world nations?

JOHN CLARKE: Yeah, Second!

BRYAN DAWE: No, 33rd

JOHN CLARKE: Oh well a lot of countries are richer, you know, the rich countries can take lots of migrants.

BRYAN DAWE: No, no, Iggy if you take the GDP into account we're actually 70th. OK, what percentage of Australia's immigrants come by boat?

JOHN CLARKE: Oh about 98 per cent

BRYAN DAWE: No, down a bit

JOHN CLARKE: 83 per cent

BRYAN DAWE: Down a fair bit.

JOHN CLARKE: 66 per cent.

BRYAN DAWE: No down from 2 per cent

JOHN CLARKE: About 50 per cent.

BRYAN DAWE: No. I think this next question could help you Iggy. How do most people who emigrate to Australia arrive?

JOHN CLARKE: Oh they come in boats, sort of really small boats with a quite a high front.

BRYAN DAWE: No, the vast majority arrive by plane.

JOHN CLARKE: No they don't they come in boats I've seen them on television they're in little boats with quite a high front, they're sort of low in the water.

BRYAN DAWE: Hey Iggy have you ever seen an aeroplane on television?

JOHN CLARKE: Well, yeah I've been on an aeroplane.

BRYAN DAWE: And when was that Iggy?

JOHN CLARKE: When I came to Australia.

BRYAN DAWE: Correct!

JOHN CLARKE: Oh good I've got one right.

BRYAN DAWE: Which group has the highest rate of success in establishing that they are genuine immigrants: the ones who come on planes or the ones who come in boats?

JOHN CLARKE: The ones who come in planes.

BRYAN DAWE: No the ones who come here on boats.

JOHN CLARKE: Oh do they? I did well then.

BRYAN DAWE: You did very well. Final question Iggy. What's the point of moving the big processing centre for the boatpeople from Christmas Island to East Timor?

JOHN CLARKE: I've got no idea.

BRYAN DAWE: Correct and after that round you are still living in a country which was invaded in the first place and in which you've overstayed your visa.

JOHN CLARKE: Yeah well we won't be having any more of that will we?


JOHN CLARKE: Not now I'm here.

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