Lexi, Poirot, and Joe,

Lexi, you are right, we are all subjective creatures, but I have an 'observation' for you: PNG is NO solution, is a 'Claytons', a last ditch attempt by Kevin to avoid admitting he is incapable of achieving a viable solution - because he is incapable of admitting he was wrong before, and has burned too many bridges to be able to go back. His dignity would not permit it.

Why is PNG NO solution? Because PNG is an economic 'basket case' and is divided into many age-old tribal/language/cultural groups (wantoks) competing for scarce resources (read 'handouts' from Aussie Aid). Industry = foreign mining interests, some coffee growing, and a trickle of tourism - though the potentials for tourism would be great, but only if the 'locals' could get their act together. The constabulary is incapable of maintaining order in many parts, 'rascals' (read unemployed, and possibly unemployable, hooligans) abound in major centres, and general education is lacking.
PNG was a sleepy hollow until some brash Oz 'pioneers' tried to drag it into the 20th Century. Now it is the 21st Century and little has changed. Pidgin English remains the only effective communication with outsiders in many parts, and written local language is almost non-existent.
Does this setting really offer potential for the resettlement of foreigners? Or, potential for exacerbating an already 'sad' situation?
The cost to Oz would be enormous, and never-ending, and local 'rivalries' could only rise to epic proportions. A no-win.

Abbott at least has a chance of achieving a stemming of the boats - not so much by turning all and sundry 'around', but by appropriate 'negotiation' with Indonesia to properly house and treat asylum seekers, and provide education and employment opportunities - at a fraction of the cost to Oz of the PNG non-solution.

Malaysia was a no-go, not because it is a non-signatory, but because it also has a terrible record for its harsh treatment of 'refugees'.
What next from Kevin? Siberian gulags?

Joe,

I see that you think your own blather is of major moment.

A fair amount of your commentary is merely defensive waffle.

But, it's obvious that you're a legend in yer own mind.

Perhaps, before you go denigrating the contributions of others, you should make sure your own are above reproach.

(Big head:)

Dear Lexi ---< This is the 21st century, but there are pockets of
intolerance, confusion, and negativity still out
there and we need to tackle them. We might achieve
this through public education programs, or just
education.>

Pockets? Like, Rwanda, Sudan, Fiji, East Timor, The Solomons, Israel. The IRA, Bosnia, Burma, Syria, Egypt.
Pretty big pockets.

The Greeks and Italians have intermarried and assimilated well into Australian society as have other races.
But what if there had been or was, some reason why Australia was forced to go to war, with Greece.
As one Australian Greek lady remarked at the last Olympics.
"When the Greeks won, she wanted to stand up and cheer and when the Australians won she wanted to stand up and cheer.
she felt as though she was being pulled in two directions and wasn’t sure who she should support. It is only luck that there have been
no triggers to set the Australian Anglos and Greeks, Chinese and other races on a warlike path with each other here in Australia.

I get the impression you are a very caring person Lexi, but
I just don't think that having a nice chat about tolerating and
loving and accepting each other in a classroom or wherever
will be enough to stop inter-tribal and religious civil wars when
the right triggers come into play.
Like:- total economic meltdowns or one tribe gaining superior or equal numbers with another over generational decades. These triggers might not be strongly enough in place for 100 or even 200years but when they do occur in a serious enough way, then nice words about tolerating and accepting each other just aren't enough on their own to stop it.
It is the triggers that need to be understood and avoided with
fore-planning of some kind, if possible.

saltpetre <Abbott at least has a chance of achieving a stemming of the boats - not so much by turning all and sundry 'around', but by appropriate 'negotiation' with Indonesia to properly house and treat asylum seekers, and provide education and employment opportunities - at a fraction of the cost to Oz of the PNG non-solution.>

I heard that the Indonesian people smugglers were charging people
$4,000 dollars to get to Australia, at 300people a month arriving,
that amounts to $12,000.00. $12,000.00 a month, is big bickies.

Officials are no doubt being paid off at high levels to ignore
this trade. I think it is just too lucrative to Indonesia and
there is too much corruption in police and official circles to
stop Indonesians sending these people to Australia, no matter
who negotiates with them, Abbott or Rudd or the King of Farook.
They'll just keep coming up with excuses as to why they can't
stop it.

On a lighter note perhaps if human beings stopped using there dicks & micke the refugee problem may disappear, but then something else would take its place, we are born to fight, hate,kill etc, back through the centuries this went on and it will go on for centuries to come, untl the Big Bang

"not so much by turning all and sundry 'around', but by appropriate 'negotiation' with Indonesia to properly house and treat asylum seekers, and provide education and employment opportunities"

Interesting, Saltpetre. If it involves returning IMA's to a non-signatory of the UN refugee convention how does it pass through the High Court if the Malaysian solution didn't. Or does it involve paying off Indonesia to block boat departures or not to permit refugees to transit through Indonesia? Wouldn't refugees then embark from Malaysia instead?

Sounds like another LNP pre-election brain-fart.

Lexi's idea to stop refugees at their source by the political parties bringing about world peace has great merit but we need solutions, not sentiment. At least she's prepared to put a number up, unlike Poirot who ducks, dives and pirouettes around reasonable questions with bleedingly obvious non-answers like, "...while the present numbers of refugees continues, Australia will be battling to stem the flow of boats." Stunningly perceptive, but we're going to try anyway.