'as friends we welcome you.'

Replaces

'we've boundless plains to share.'

It is obvious that we do not have 'boundless plains' to share. Access to the land in Australia is tightly controlled and any immigrant to this country will find that they will not just be given land. It may have seemed that we had boundless plains to share when these words were first written but even then it was not true because the first Australians were still living on that land.

To me the correct approach to people from other countries, who want to come and live in Australia, is to treat them the same as we would treat any new person that we meet.

When we meet someone new it is the civilized 'thing to do' to treat them in a friendly manner. Just as we would want and expect others to do to us when they first meet us.

If they come and stay with us as visitors then we would expect that they should be shown a minimum of hospitality. Again, just as we would want and expect others to do to us when we stay with them.

As we get to know a new friend better we will either like them more or like them less.

If we like them more then we may invite them to stay longer with us to the point where they become part of the community or even our own family.

If we like them less then we will not develop a deeper relationship with them and we will not encourage or facilitate their stay in our home or community.

So this is why I've chosen the words 'as friends we welcome you.' In summary it is more realistic to say, "Come and visit us, meet with us, get to know us as we get to know you and if we all get on together then if conditions are right you can come and live with us. If not, then it's time for you to go home."

I think that this principle can also be applied to refugees. Whilst more consideration is needed on this issue one thing would seem certain, until all humans are treated fairly in every country we will continue to have a 'refugee problem'.