Unfortunately, many people in this country seem to think ‘boat people’ are illegal.

A recent story in the Mail-Times about two women raising money for refugees spurred comments that condemned the fundraiser.

People were mad that these women would ‘help people who come to our land illegally’.

Obviously, some people don’t know the facts – so here they are.

MYTH: Seeking asylum is illegal.

FACT: It is not. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, every person has the right to seek asylum in any territory they can reach.

Seeking asylum is a human right.

It is never illegal to apply for refugee status in Australia.

MYTH: Refugees or asylum seekers are taking over our country.

FACT: Compared with other countries, the number of asylum seekers to reach Australian shores is relatively low.

In the first half of 2011 Australia received 4955 asylum applications – in the same period the USA received 36,370 applications.

Australia receives only three per cent of the total asylum claims made in industrialised countries across the world.

MYTH: Asylum seekers are jumping the queue.

FACT: There is no queue because there is no way for these people to apply for refugee status prior to arriving in Australia.

The Australian embassy in Afghanistan does not even make its address public, so there is no way to join a queue there. 

MYTH: Refugees are taking our jobs.

FACT: Asylum seekers are settled in the community as they wait for their refugee claims to be processed.

Because they are on bridging visas, they are not allowed to work.

They receive about $220 from Centrelink each week, which goes towards rent and food. 

They can be in this limbo stage for many years before being granted refugee status.

If a person from a non-English-speaking country, with minimal skills and no recognised degree here is more qualified for a job than you are,maybe you need to take a look at yourself before getting upset at them.

Here's another fact: The Federal Government’s stance on refugees is appalling.

Asylum seekers often sell everything they own to send one member of their family to another country, in the hope of creating a better life.

They live in war-torn areas where death, imprisonment and persecution are a real possibility.

Would you stay in a country, waiting for the worst, or would you do whatever you could to get your family to safety?

In Australia we are incredibly lucky to have never experienced the hardships these people have faced.

So before you judge, and throw around words like ‘boat people’ and ‘illegal’ – think about what you would do for your family.