Kevin Rudd has sold out to get elected?

[j*oono]

I'm really disappointed.  Now we are not just the lucky country.  We are the up yours country.

Refugees are being turned back to suffer in PNG.   Every election I am so sick of the boat refugees being used.  Every single time since Howard got in with the kids being thrown into the water to drown it's been the most disgusting use of human life to rule a country.

Shame on you Rudd.

[katydidthat]

LOL, did I answer it above when we were cross-posting?

[lightningdance]

There will be a huge discussion re refugee versus country shopping economic illegal immigrants. Rudd has gone much further than anybody expected so we assume the problem with Indonesia is a lot bigger than any of us has been privy to.

The criminal activities of Indonesian officials, visa buying en masse for Iranians & the blind eye to the criminal smugglers aided by their own security police must be massive for Rudd to go this far.

The bleating of the bleeding hearts is the reason Rudd dismantled the orderly immigration refugee policy in the 1st place & left Australia open to massive illegal immigration that has soured many on refugees altogether & brought the UN Convention under scrutiny. 

This is the fault of the bleeding heart left, inner city elites & Rudd, so now they have to wear it otherwise the 45 MILLION on the move across the world will head to the soft touch Australia became under Labor.

All this is moot anyway because if Labor win the election their own caucus will not pass this, the Greens won't have a bar of it so it will fall to Liberal/ Nationals to save Rudd's bacon, will they??

[not_an_eloi]

last group to be processed on christmas island,  today.

[katydidthat]

The Christmas Islanders aren't very happy about the PNG decision.

[the_great_she_elephant]

On balance I think I am in favour of it ......... provided we are willing to support PNG financially in processing and rehousing these people. As others have said, those seeking safety from persecution will have a safe haven, those seeking specifically to settle in Australaia will think twice before risking their lives in leaky boats only to end up in PNG and, with luck, the people smugglers and corrupt offocials in Indonesia will find the bottom has dropped out of their business.

Having said that, I think we also need to acknowledge that whether they come for safety or economic reasons, people would have to be utterly desperarate to trust their lives to corrupt officials, people smugglers and unsafe boats. Of course Australia cannot ake in everyone who wants tyo come here, but do we need to  justify our decision by by pretending that those who make the attempt are criminals and undeserviing of compassion? 

[not_an_eloi]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-20/person-holding-government-advertisement-on-asylum-seeker-deal/...

[windrake]

I am in favour of this new policy because it will cripple the criminal smugglers & stop the drownings. I cannot believe it has taken this long for labor to do something about this failure.

I am surprised that it is so desperately final for genuine refugees to get here, very harsh policy.

Will the caucus pass it after the election or is this just another announcement? can they do this without a parliamentary vote? I'm confused.

But something had to be done. I don't agree with  the underhanded  taxpayers funded ads for this, sneaky as usual from this mob.

[***super_nova***]

I too wish we could take in everybody, but that is not practical, we cannot take all the misplaced people in the world.  Cruel as it seems it will be a potent deterrent to boarding the boats; it will basically destroy the smuggler's business.  People escaping war or persecution want to go to a country where they and their children can have a future.  That means they want to come to Australia, or other "western" country.  They do not want to go to poor violent country where they are not welcome by the population.

So now they will not get on the boats, instead they will be trying for the few places available under Australian refugee scheme.

I am very sad that Iranian people who are escaping the very oppressive system in their country, where people can go to jail or worse, not just for expressing an anti government sentiment, but for making an art or playing  music that the leaders do not approve off.  Educated middle class people are escaping Iran not because of economic reasons, but because they are oppressed and under threat.  NOBODY gets into one of those boats with kids and all, just because they think they will be able to buy better car here.

[spotweldersfriend]

You forget Howard's taxpayer funded ads?