I always thought that the term "Pacific solution" had extremely ominous overtones - but, it seems, most Australians had no problem bandying it about.
Poor Nauru, which has been reduced to pock-marked landscape after much of it's substance was removed in the form of phosphate - the majority exported to Australia. With the depletion of the mineral and much bad investment advice, the people of Nauru experienced gross impoverishment.
Has anyone commenting here done any research into the benefits for the people of Nauru from the "intellectual and technical expertise" experienced by them while being promoted to Australia's defacto gaoler of refugees. I suspect you'll find that it was few and far between.
East Timor can expect much of the same. Our paternalistic largesse paints a very thin veneer over reality.
Before Gillard came to power, I felt rather disillusioned as to the real value of my vote. I had decided for my own entertainment to pen a clever limerick with which to enhance my house of reps voting slip. I decided, however, to hold fire on any rhyming creations to see which way Julia blew - disappointingly I think the limerick idea is back on the agenda

Dear TBC,

As I mentioned in my post I am
trying to see the light at the end of the
tunnel. This is not about "differences,"
between political parties or previous
administrations. The PM is calling for
a debate on the issues involved.
She's only just begun and has confirmed
that this will take time to sort out.

A regional protection
framework that would involve countries in our
region to me did sound like a step in the
right direction.
As I stated earlier - it is only early days.
Nothing is set in concrete - and much
work obviously has yet to be done.

However, let's take this one step at a time and
see what happens.

Dear AGIR,

Stick with the topic of the thread.
Whether my eyes are dilated,
crosse-eyed, or multi-coloured, to match my
killer-cheek bones, and luxurious mane of hair, has nothing
to do with the topic at hand.

You guys are all aware this is a theory and couldn't POSSIBLY happen before any election, right?.

Ludwig and foxy,
Wanna buy some shares in a harbour bridge?

Jooolea shudda been an ice skater. She spins like a top.

Dear Banjo,

No, but I wouldn't mind shares in
BHP (bringing oil to America),
or Rio Tinto.

As for Julia, well as I said - let's
wait and see. I may be naive, but
I'm a glass half-full kind of person.
And I prefer to think that as I said
before, decency will out. Although,
I must admit that my husband disagrees
with me rather strongly.

Dear Foxy,

You seem as if you are a fair and reasonable person - always ready to give someone the benefit of opportunity to prove their argument.
I find, however, that when I hear hastily coined poli-speak titles such as "Regional Processing Centre" and "Regional Protection Framework", my antennas start to twitch. Translated into plain English, Julia Gillard is saying that it is perfectly ethical to take advantage of our impoverished smaller neighbours (a la Pacific Solution) by offering financial inducements so that we may dump our problem on their shores.