funny how people are demonizing the people smugglers. I wonder if they are any better off than many seeking refugee status. I doubt it. The bottom line is Howard put these 'evil' smugglers out of business and Labour playing politics and sucking up to the UN allowed these smugglers to be re employed. People have died and still those who contributed by policy consider it more important to be right than swallowing their pride.

Lexi and Nairbe,

All the boats are coming from Indonesia, where the asylum seekers normally stop off for a couple of months to a year. At the time that the policies were relaxed, there were articles in the paper warning that the people smugglers were broadcasting that the new policies were making it easier to get into the country.

Considering that the Afghan war started in 2001 and the Iraq war in 2003, perhaps you could point to the statistic below and indicate where the "push factors" played their role.

From where I stand, a sudden 3000% increase since Labor's policy is more than coincidence. Please explain to me how the Pacific solution did not work.

Fin Year..Arrivals by boat
1999–00.. 4,175
2000–01.. 4,137
2001–02.. 3,039 - Pacific solution introduced.
2002–03.. -
2003–04.. 82
2004–05.. -
2005–06.. 61
2006–07.. 133
2007–08.. 25
2008–09.. 1,033 - Pacific solution removed.
2009–10.. 5,609
2010-11.. 3,392 ytd

Given that the estimated number of people lost at sea trying to get to Australia (including those perishing in Indonesian waters) in the past 2 years is now over 200, the grim statistics are that about 1 in 50 boat people perish on the journey.

Julia Gillard can stop the deaths, she just lacks the political will.

About the dead illegal’s, my heart goes out to the children and women who were lost.

The men took their shot and paid a price, bad luck, goodbye, abide well.

I disagree with Gillards open arm policy because it leaves legitimate refugees lingering in camps. But Gillard is not culpable in regard to the people drowning, people die through misfortune everyday but she is culpable of ideologically driven stupidity in every decision she has been a part of over the past 4 years.

runner:>> The bottom line is Howard put these 'evil' smugglers out of business and Labor playing politics and sucking up to the UN allowed these smugglers to be re employed.<<

Just so well said runner I had to repeat it.

runner:>> People have died and still those who contributed by policy consider it more important to be right than swallowing their pride.<<

Sorry runner I think you got it askew there, polliies have no pride, to have pride you must have conviction and the current lot have a conviction wind vane that is readily redirected to accommodate the circumstance.

There are two levels of blame here.
The first level is the master of the boat.
In that sort of weather he took his boat to the winward side of the island.
I understand that the harbour is on what was the leeward side.

So why did he do that ? Either he was totally incompetent or he had
intended to land his passengers on the winward side out of sight and
return to Indonesia for another load or avoid a term in gaol in Darwin.

The 2nd level of blame of course is the government's in that they have
done nothing to stop the boats, especially as we approach the cyclone
season.
I just find it hard to believe that Indonesian fisherman take these
low freeboard boats to sea in cyclone seasons. I suspect that the
people trafficers buy the boats and employ anyone who will take the
job. Whether they know there is a gaol term in Darwin's holiday camp
awaiting them is another matter.

One measure that would reduce but not stop the boats would be 20 years
in gaol without parole for the crew.

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/61asylum.htm

There is a lot of spin on this issue on both sides of politics and I don't think the Coalition with their "turn the boats around" policy would save lives than the current situation which is similar in other than small detail from the Howard government with the exception of TPVs.

The fact is most asylum seeker cases are processed reasonably quickly once in Australia, those left in detention are where there are difficulties in assessing refugee status through failure to provide adequate or legitimate identification. Not every asylum seeker is a legitimate refugee but the first priority should be in quickly establishing status.

The real problem is the processing of immigration and asylum seeker applications out of Australia ie. in refugee camps or in country of origin. Some immigration applicants tire of waiting, many choosing the boat route, especially after being resident in Indonesia for months or in some cases years - often having freely flown into Indonesia of free will and in full possession of ID.

There is no easy solution on this one, and it is sad to see both political parties using this tragedy for point scoring.

It is a complicated issue and there is a lot of BS and myth surrounding asylum seekers on both sides.

What is the solution? How do you stop people making the risky journey by boat? The simplest response should be faster refugee application processing at point of origin where possible or from point of arrival in another country (other than Australia) where there are no UN obligations and for those who seek asylum in Australia.

That means more resources which can only be achieved if the government gets rid of the inverted pyramid structure of Commonwealth Government and puts more workers on the ground.