Anat Shenker-Osorio

6) Otherwise, we end up with the current mess where countries in Europe closest to the point of arrival are expected to process every claim and resettle every refugee who crosses the Mediterranean, because that's where they arrived first. That's clearly impractical...

7) And the only reason that British racists and xenophobes support the made-up "first country of arrival" idea is because it means the UK would never have to take another refugee, because we happen to be located on an island in the furthest north west of Europe. How convenient.

8) The lack of a fair, safe, inexpensive and efficient system for refugees to reach safety is the only reason that people risk their lives and turn to criminal groups or smugglers to get across the Med or the Channel. The smart, obvious answer is...

9) to provide a safe, fast and fair route for refugees to seek safety in the country that is best suited to their needs and can best support them, so that the criminal gangs, traffickers and people smugglers are left penniless and twiddling their thumbs.

10) The current resettlement system is a creaking relic of the 1950s; imagine if we hadn't updated or expanded the London Underground in 75 years. We need a system that meets the needs of the modern world and the new numbers of people seeking safety. That will...

11) also help to keep people safe from criminal gangs, traffickers and ruthless smugglers. It's the only way to do that. People who propose any other course of action - including so-called "deterrence" - only really care about keeping refugees out of the UK, not saving lives.

12) I've seen Australia's refugee prison camps first-hand. Women & children were abused and raped with impunity, refugees went slowly mad over years in horrific conditions, people were mutilated & murdered. Let's be clear: that's the horror needed to deter people seeking safety.

13) The truth is, neither the Australian government nor the UK government really care about this issue. The numbers of refugees arriving are small, in relative terms and refugees are, overall, a positive addition to society. This is only a very effective, cynical distraction.