As I said before asylum seekers could board a plane and fly to Sydney without problem because the Australian visa wouldn't be checked at departure. At Sydney airport they would ask for refugee statis and Australian officials would have to investigate to determine refugee statis. The reason this approach is not popular is because at departure their passport and boarding pass would be checked nothing more. An asylum seeker holding a passport is at a great dissadvantage because checks can then be made of that persons claims.
Australia has a refugee policy only if we accept genuine refugees because our government decides how many refugees we will accept each year and when the quota is met we have fulfilled our responsibility as part of the world community and one of the few countries such as the US , Canada and some European nations. Thats Why it's important we are very sure who we are giving refugee statis to. Amanda Vanstone said in a TV program it's very hard to go to a refugee camp in other countries with meager facilities and tell a 12 year old girl that has been there all her life that Australia has allready taken its quota of refugees and there is no room for her.