Economic advantage seekers not true refugees

I AM a community elder approaching 77 years of age.

I served this nation for more than 20 years in the army with operation combat experience in Malaysia ( 1961- 63) and Vietnam ( 1966- 67). In Vietnam, my platoon suffered the greatest number of killed and wounded in action while there, one officer and 34 other ranks in a year.

I believe I have a right to vent my spleen at all the federal and state politicians on how they govern this nation.

Since the 1980s governance in this country, at the state and federal levels, is the worst I have experienced and, without entering into detail, as I see it they are not interested in the nation’s future or its people – only to gain and retain political power. All political parties are flawed in their policies and there are no statesmen or leaders in any government nationwide.

There is at present a bar- room brawl in Canberra over citizenship qualification with Labor hanging on desperately to last century qualities while the Government is trying to modernise the criteria for future citizens. I have news for Labor, the Greens and loopy lefties: we are living in the 21st century. The world has changed. There are no longer refugees as was witnessed post- WWII, only a few persecuted religious and cultural ethnic minorities. Therefore, Australia must concentrate on these minorities for priority resettlement and not the orchestrated mass Islamic migration based on individual economic wants.

There must also be a concentration on those seeking asylum who want to become Australian citizens. We need those who desperately want to be Australians and willing to complete the qualifying criteria. The ALP and those who oppose these new citizen eligibility levels do not have the nation’s interest. Those state and federal politicians who object must be challenged on whether they are fair dinkum Aussie politicians, and whether they have the right to represent the people in government.

This country only needs those fleeing religious and cultural persecution, not those seeking economic advantage. We are a free, sovereign state and all governments and politicians have the duty and responsibility to ensure they only decide on matters that benefit the people. ROBERT S BUICK,

Mountain Creek