I fully share your concerns Banjo.

I wonder when all the misguided ‘high moral grounders’ are going to see the great folly in their push for onshore processing, no mandatory detention and the rest of the pull factors, and join the call for a decisive shut-down of onshore asylum seeking?

If only these people would direct their goodwill into helping refugees through our formal offshore programs, via an increase in our intake and a bigger expenditure on international aid, instead of things that promulgate the horrible, dangerous, highly stressful, socially disruptive and politically divisive onshore asylum seeking saga.

If only.

I have no time for the illegals that arrive here without approval. In my opinion they are con artists and shonks who are taking advantage of our good nature. Gate crashers!

The previous government took a long time making things tougher for the illegals untill they themselves decided it was not worth the risk and stopped trying to get here. Labor, Greens and other misguided people claimed the measures were 'cruel','inhumane'and other unsavory terms.

Since the present government changed the situation thousands have managed the trip and about 200 was thought to have died trying. Now it seems that far more boats have vanished, so how many more have perished because the tough measures were changed. Some of the missing boats the government actually knew about. The changed policies encouraged these people to their deaths, trying to get here.

If those that objected to the previous measures were open and honest, they would admitt that they were wrong and had the tough measures stayed, all those lives would have been saved. Where now is the compassion, empathy and humanity that they claimed to have a few years ago.

To make matters worse the Greens and some others want more of the boats to come with even softer measures than there is at present. So more and more will attempt the voyage with the very real likelyhood of more vanishing enroute. Oh well, out of sight out of mind, I suppose.

To think some have claimed that I, and a few others here on OLO, were uncaring and lacked empathy. Even branded as racist and xenophobic.

Will these 'refugee advocates' now admitt they were wrong?

'Will these 'refugee advocates' now admitt they were wrong?'

No. Unfortunately their idology is more important than human life.

I will not post the link, it can be found in seconds but Paul Kelly's editorial in todays Australian is top stuff.
Are we fair dinkum?
Flogging Labor or Liberals, about death at sea?
While lawyers and Lefty's have stopped the best plan we ever had to stop the boats.
Is this issue about politics, racism, over population, internal separatism after arrival?
Do we just ignore death at sea has taken place on both sides?
Take my challenge read the Kelly thing.
This country, us, must confront our truths.
The boats must stop, both sides of politics, BOTH must listen to us.
The problem, if we are brave enough to be honest, is two fold.
We do not want uninvited boats ever.
And hate me for it! Australians in numbers enough to change government are extremely concerned about internal tribalism by such in our country.

Belly,

While I have a lot of respect for Paul Kelly, there is a lot more than the asylum seeker policy on the table at the moment, and Juliar has yet to even present her proposal on the legal amendments. Abbott is not blocking anything yet, just highlighting that the Malaysian solution is hopeless and far worse than the pacific solution with respect to human rights.

Juliar needs this more than Abbott at the moment, and he intends to get his ounce of flesh.

Shadow Minister enough!
You only have a good opinion of the bloke when he agrees with you.
You abandon the right to be respected with the constant abuse of our PM.
I in all probability dislike her more than you.
And yes,for A time used RAbbott to describe your leader.
I unlike your self understood, it was CHILDISH.
Kelly, think man! has reminded the dud you have so much faith in, he too, must have out side support to stop the boats.
Abbott,you surely, for you can not convince me other wise, wants the issue unsolved, it harms Labor.
Today yes, tomorrow your team, but mate, every day it harms my country.
Liberals ruled over the worst KNOWN single event leading to deaths.
They lied about children over board and Tampa shamed us.
Not one, not a single one, sent to Nehru was sent back home bar a few
Who went home on their own, EVERY ONE GOT ENTRY TO AUSTRALIA.
Both party's have got it it wrong, surely next week your unhappy bunch can sit and say ok we want other places , put laws in place that say.
A GOVERNMENT RULES NOT COURTS!