Australia "returning to Asia"

The continent of Australia broke off from Asia over 150 million years ago, but in a cultural sense Australia is "returning to Asia" today. Waves of immigrants from South, SE, and East Asia as well as the surrounding islands are arriving in Australia today, both legally and illegally, changing the complexion and demographics of the country. Australia has always been "immigration nation," but for most of modern history it was immigrants from Europe, specifically the British Isles. Today however, Australia faces a culture clash as increasing numbers of Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu immigrants call Australia home.

One thing is certain: Australia has plenty of space. It is a country with vast tracts of unused land. But sheer space is different from public services, which are more scarce.

Big picture: Whether it is the current crisis of Central American children arriving on the US-Mexico border, African refugee "boat people" washing up on Spanish or Italian islands, or the Tamils arriving in Australia, the enormous-and-still-exploding populations of the tropical developing world are seeking to find a way by any means necessary to a better life in the "developed world", the world of health care, free water, accessible food, and paved roads.