Can the media stop referring to the boatloads of people from Vietnam and other countries heading towards Australia as "asylum seekers" or "refugees"? As far as I know there are no wars or overly oppressive regimes in our region.

The truth is that these people are trying to gain access to Australia illegally and to a better way of life, and I would say 90 per cent of the people in the underdeveloped world would want to come here, too. So how many illegal immigrants do we want to encourage to make the voyage?

Ian Mossman, Kincumber, April 23.

This letter in SMH strikes me as being a little selfish.