This isn’t a half-bad idea, actually:

THE federal government will pay families up to $300 a week to temporarily house asylum seekers in their homes to help deal with the increasing flood of arrivals.

With the Immigration Department now facing a potential shortage of community housing to accommodate detainees who are being released into the community, the government has turned to householders for help.

Under a plan slated to start next month, the government will seek to access the 5000 homes registered under the privately run Australian Homestay Network (AHN) to host asylum seekers released from detention on bridging visas.

For one thing, it will give the refugee lobby a chance to put their clients where their spare room is. I reckon anyone who’s ever used the phrase “I’m ashamed to be Australian” unironically should be forced to sign up.

But seriously, I’m half-tempted to sign up, especially if we can “host” someone who can clean, do the shopping, and pick the Little Pricks up after school …