A group of asylum seekers from Iraq say they’ve heard that if you arrive in Australian waters in a fleet of eighteenth-century tall ships, you’ll be automatically granted permission to stay for as long as you like.
“You don’t need a visa. Just a tall ship and a sense of self-entitlement,” one man in the group explained.
“Usually if you come to Australia by boat you get turned around or sent to Nauru, but this is a historical loophole apparently. We’ve heard you even get free land!”
He said there was no requirement to provide any notice, or understand the local language or customs. “There’s no test or form to fill out. You just turn up, unpack your stuff and take over the country. It sounds too good to be true to be honest!”
