Some Australians wrongly believe asylum seekers and refugees in this country are given a $10,000 lump sum, Nike shoes and preferential treatment for public housing, according to research that also found religious prejudice against Muslims is largely driving negative attitudes towards the newcomers. 
The University of Melbourne study also revealed many people concerned about the "Islamisation" of Australia were "unshakably convinced" Muslims were universally overpowering Christian traditions, such as Christmas cards and the singing of carols in schools, despite having no direct or second-hand experiences.
The qualitative research involved 10 focus group discussions in metropolitan, regional and remote locations in NSW, Victoria and Queensland between   August 24 and   September 3 last year.
The researchers said, based on previous opinion polls, voters who held strongly negative views on asylum seekers far outnumbered those with strongly positive views, and that the Australian public largely supports the Turnbull government's tough stance on "unauthorised" boat arrivals. The focus groups, involving 80 people, revealed the most important driver of negative attitudes towards asylum seekers was "religious prejudice", sometimes expressed as concern about the "Islamisation" of Australia. This involved seeing Islam as a religion intolerant of non-Muslims and Islam as synonymous with terrorism.
One focus group participant said: "They (refugees) are running around in new Nike shoes. They had all been given a place ... you have homeless people that haven't even got a place in Sydney, yet these people just walk in get a place [and] $10,000, new shoes."