There has been a dramatic escalation in the number of boat people arriving in Australia over the last twelve months. Of the 7,500 boat people to be taken into detention since 1989 over 3,000 have arrived since June 1999.The national origin of the boat people has also changed over the years from 1989. In 1989 and 1990 Cambodians predominated. Then, until mid-1996, the majority of arrivals were Chinese, including over 1,000 Sino-Vietnamese, exiled from Vietnam to China in 1979 and fleeing to Aust…
