The reality is that the illegal boats are a sensitive issue with the Indonesians, and implementing this policy is not possible with the megaphone diplomacy that Labors talking heads loved.

What should be remembered is that the level of co operation with Indonesia with regards illegal boats is at an all time high resulting in:

3 boats of rescued illegals being returned to Indonesia which never happened under Labor.

Illegal boats being stopped in Indonesian waters by Indonesia,

Record numbers of illegal boats being stopped before leaving port.

Numbers of illegal arrivals dropping by more than 75% (closer to 90%) to record lows,

Because the numbers are so low illegals are quickly deported or shipped off shore, most of whom will never see Australia again.

Indonesian politicians need a kick up the backsides; they are petulant and demanding like many modern children. They take our money - which, of course, our own silly politicians do not have to give them - then they abuse us and whine about us.

I think it's of fundamental importance to remember right now that 2014 is an election year in Indonesia. Politicians will play to the gallery. Recall our own last election, and the yadda yadda that banged about our ears.
I hope Abbott can resist playing to his domestic audience at the expense of fostering meaningful ties with Indonesia. And not just regarding the boats. As stated, we need Indonesia more than they need us. Being friends with the Yanks is all well and good, but they don't live here. We do. So do the Indonesians.

We'd all surely have to think about having a Heart for the National Party at the moment wouldn't you?

I can't much see that those turkies in the liberal party could do too much worse even if they were trying - straight out of the blocks and flat on his face over and over, so much so that there is little sport to be had for the likes of me, so pathetic a display it has been, and then what, when feeling the heat they curl up in a ball with *Electricity Bill* and reaffirm those things which most truly unite them.

The apparent unwillingness of mainstream politicians to want to compete is part of the fundamental problem with Australia in my view. To consider the broad brush of history it appears to my limited vantage point that essentially they continue to make the same mistakes that they always have, and this is a very import aspect that needs to be considered when thinking about "growth" more generally.

To put that another way, by all means have secure borders, but in so doing, do not abuse people.

Now, as for something of my personal experience with the Indonesians, I would say that Aust guvment behavior has caused hurt to the hearts of those Indonesians who have/had good will for you. This has been compounded by the enacted ignorant and arrogant display of refusing to apologise publicly.

Whether you agree or not, smuggling illegal equipment for the purposes of espionage is an open act of war (declared or otherwise) in the view of some people.

As for that recent outburst by ASIO, that is more than enough reason to cast someone into the fire in my view, so incredibly stupid ...

.. as a friend though, there is a very beautiful and gentle side to the Indos and currently, unfortunately, some of us are being grossly misrepresented by the people calling the shots in the guvment.

The Asylum Seeker issue could be more like shooing chickens that want not to go home, but that's up to yourselves, but suffice to say, if you come down hard on their citizens, then they will come down hard on yours.

I'll give you another super popular Indo tune, and that one of National proportions, which perhaps some of you may best understand in the following:

" ... Anything you can do, I can do better, I can do anything better than you ... "

..

I can't help but imagine that there has been some wicked parties in Russia in recent times .. HaHaHa .. I'll wonder if we'll get an app for our gadgets and track *Snowden,* if he is found worthy, as he does a few high speed laps round the globe .. WooooHoooo!

Hmmm .. some great wisdom (notwithstanding wheels within wheels) seems to shine through this, as if we push the chair back a bit,

1. you must grow now that your adversaries have and

2. if there is to be an Asian century, indeed you must want to grow in a variety of ways and indeed it is best to start with a good spring cleaning and an even playing field.

Perhaps, if nothing else, we can all find some commonality in this.

1. it was not about people smuggling, that was simply a lie Philip Ruddock invented as an excuse to torture innocent people. The book Borderline by Peter Mares explains on page 16 how it all came about. Media since that day have been to lazy and moronic to even bother to challenge it.
2. as asylum seekers cannot legally stay in Indonesia it is quite legal for Indonesia to allow them to find alternative countries to go to and cannot by law make them stay in Indonesia where they are neither wanted nor protected.