Australia : Tropical Transit Lounge
17 minutes, 2001
Ref: 218

People smuggling is big business. Refugees don't get to rich countries without help. The most recent example is those trying to get into Australia. Refugees fly into Indonesia, mainly from the Middle East and Afghanistan. Then they make their way to ports around Java, Bali and the Indonesian islands to the east. From there, the Australian territories of Ashmore Reef and Christmas Island are just a few hours by boat. But Australia is throwing its might and money into preventing the asylum seekers from ever leaving Indonesia. It's paying Indonesia millions of dollars to maintain internment camps, rather than have the refugees land on its shores.