totally acceptable... dont want to live in a tent, then go through immigration, they are breaking the law but coming here on boats, any other criminal gets a jail cell, they should be grateful its a tent and not a cell!

@abcnews No it's bloody not acceptable! But no doubt most racist horrid Australians will think it is.

ok get it right to start with they are NOT illegal immigrants, they are asylum seekers. to the people saying they are breakig laws or doing anything illegal do you realise that under international law we are obliged to provide respite to refugees/asylum seekers. so if we "turn the boats around" we will be the ones breaking the law.

@HarryJ_MP @abcnews If these illegals were genuine refugees then they would kiss our sacred soil and accept shelter in WHATEVER is available

Not a single refugee has been proven to be a terrorist. Being a refugee is not not illegal. It is not a crime to seek freedom from persecution.

But to claim asylum - they have to break immigration laws - so their status - is unlawful !!! Bringing them all over here wont solve the problems - there are way to many refugees - this has to be sorted in their countries As for living in tents .. that is luxury compared to how a lot of people live in PNG

I lived in a tent for 3 years - it was a blast! It's not a problem if the conditions (external and internal) are ok. I imagine some people may feel vulnerable. I can see all sorts of problems emerging .. but 'living in a tent' isn't THE problem.

woolfe 7:45 AM on 11/09/2012 If the danger they fled from is not present in this camp and their needs are catered for , even in the most basic way, then they should be forever grateful. If they protest too much then one wonders if they are economic rather than persecuted refugees?

A tent on a tropical island... some people pay for a holiday like that! They call it 'camping'. However, it probably doesn't last 5 years. BUT THEN AGAIN 5 years alive (even in a tent for some of that time) on a tropical island sure beats being dead in a hostile desert!

Would you prefer to house them in 5-star hotels & let the taxpayer flip the bill? I can't even afford that for myself.

@RorRedRor @abcnews you have to agree a tent is better than a cardboard box on Sydney streets. #homeless. Is this acceptable? #auspol

leigh24 8:11 AM on 11/09/2012 The 'us and them' mentality of some Australians saddens me - these are human beings in desperate situations. Just take one moment and try and imagine yourselves in their situations - how would you want to be received and treated? I'm an atheist but perhaps the coolest thing the Bible says is 'treat others as you would to be treated'. Let's become a more compassionate society.

Turn the boats around, tuff love is needed, there are way too many, Australia needs to look after there own first

@abcnews No way! Asylum seekers could quite easily be processed within the community after passing security and health checks.

Of course it's not ok, it's disgraceful to treat fellow human beings this way. I'm appalled that so many of you don't see any problems with this.

@abcnews Asylum seekers put the lives of their children at risk on people smugglers boats. Nauru is a much safer place for them

The countries they are fleeing from is where the core of the problem resides. We need to act on those problems any way we can. Try focussing on why Tamils are fleeing instead of punishing them for the act of fleeing.