Does anyone know?

It seems that NOT ONE opposition member can say what their current policy is.

In all intelligence, how can they "successfully" critisise the government while at the same time providing ZERO alternative policy regarding this "specific" plight of the asylum seekers currently on the boat that lies off the Indonesian shore.

Answer? They CAN'T, at least not "successfully".

Because they have ZERO policy themselves, and have not provided ONE word regarding how they would have successfully handled this "specific" situation, they therefore have no credibility whatsoever on the subject.

It's all about POLITICS, POLITICS, POLITICS ......... and stuff the asylum seekers: That's the basis of the opposition's attacks.

As the current controversy draws to a close, the opposition will be even less popular than ever. Every time they speak out in Parliament their tactics and motives are clearly transparent on this subject, and they continually get out debated by the Prime Minister, and it's there for Australians to see. As the smoke clears, this will become even more obvious.

The Federal opposition is simply hopeless, and that's such a shame. We need strong opposition in parliament and that's exactly what we're NOT getting. Mr Menzies would be turning over in his grave.

The opposition policy is simple.

The old policies worked, they predicted a flood of boats when the laws were relaxed, and it is all coming true.

All they have to do is to beat Rudd for every boat and fumble of his government, and egg on the left wing to ensure that he can't reverse his policies.

All Rudd can do is act like a pinata, take a beating and twist in the wind, while remaining "humanely tough". He is wedged in a no win position.

SM
What's the cost benefit analysis?
The increased cost of maintaining the pacific solution.
Don't forget to add in the cost of the diplomatic consequences,
the increased military budget.
The monetary impact (inflation)and it's consequences on interest rates.
Also consider the opportunity cost of services and infrastructure etc. to Australians.

Skip the colourful metaphors and the absence of one extreme = the other extreme...think a balance or a policy linked with other foreign policy issues. But then again 'values' are vague and easy to wriggle. Fully worked through had policies require real thought not 'demonstrating that the government polices don't work' negativity BS.

Neither do I advocate a open door policy nor necessarily The LABOR govt policy. So let's be grown up stop obfuscation, trying to personalize the attack to an individual and deal with the issue with sensible debate?

Ps There is a response to your 'child like' post.

Shadow Minister: "The old policies worked"

Actually, they didn't for a while. When the old policies were put in place the number of boat people increased - and then after a few months dropped dramatically.

The best predictor for the number of boat people arriving on our shores isn't our policies. Its the amount of unrest overseas. The spike that occured just after the old policies were put in place was caused by the Iraq war. The current spike is caused by the defeat and resulting persecution Sri Lanka Tamils and the increasing violence on the Pakistan / Afghanistan border.

The opposition policy should be to expose the extreme hypocrisy of a Government trying not to offend anyone but in the end making it worse for everyone involved. Labour has been exposed for its sheer hypocrisy and the only reason the pathetic media have allowed them to get away with its crocodile tears is because John Howard is not PM any more. Mr Rudd's go soft policy has led to more deaths, more misery and a greater mess.

There's thousands upon thousands of members of OLO. So far, not one of them has been able to answer my question.

What's the question? Here's a reminder. "What is the Federal Opposition's official stated policy regarding how they would have successfully handled, from beginning to end, 'specifically' the situation of the asylum seekers currently in the boat sitting off the Indonesian shore"?

That's the purpose of this topic.

Can anybody answer the question?

On any subject, an opposition (be it Labour or Coalition) is impotent unless it can produce alternative policy. It seems that the coalition has NO policy regarding my question, and that lack of policy is to the detriment of our country. Why do they have no policy? It's simple, by having a stated policy they will be subjected to attack regarding it's contents. This will take the heat off the government, and thus lessen the political advantage that the opposition is trying to get. For the opposition it's ONLY about POLITICS, POLITICS POLITICS and stuff the asylum seekers.

So am I correct ..... is there no official opposition policy (other than criticism of the government) that relates to the 'specific' question I asked?

If I'm not correct, then what is the policy (I'm referring to the specific situation of the asylum seekers currently off Indonesia's shore)?