Australia has a right to set an intake of refugees for resettlement that it feels comfortably able to assimilate.

An open door policy towards boat-people, as held by the Greens, rewards those with the will and the means to project themselves ahead of those already processed and awaiting resettlement.

Any major political party supporting an open door policy will be smashed by middle Australia in an election and believing otherwise is wishful thinking.

By comparison, the Malaysian swap has support and will gain more if proven effective before the next election.

If the Greens want to maintain relevance across all areas of policy it will have to bend on this one to give Labor a chance at the next election. Otherwise, the Coalition will not compromise and go to the election as the only party that can deliver on this issue, regardless of how inhumanely, calling for an absolute majority that Labor has no chance of achieving.

Blind, unbending principle is a fine luxury when you don't have to run a country. The Greens, if they want to remain involved in running this one, better get pragmatic quickly. Their open door policy, while warm and fuzzy, does not respect the right of the nation to set its own assimilation figure, nor the right of those already processed as refugees to have first consideration for resettlement.

I call on the Greens to respect these rights and join with Labor to at least block the forcing of unsafe boats, crowded with vulnerable people, back out to sea

I meant to tell Luciferase, when you made a similar comment on another post, how much I absolutely agree with that opinion. The Greens have to make the call on this one.

Agreed Luciferase. But could you outline just exactly what the Greens policy is. Thanks.

Good question, Ludwig, it's a work in progress. However, one thing is certain, offshore processing is off their agenda.

The recent disaster prompted their response that accidents (s...) happens, and the claim that decriminalization, i.e. no confiscation of boats or incarceration of crews, would lead to safer journeys.

Essentially, they are against any form of boat deterrence. Furthermore, they have concerns, as we all do, with conditions surrounding onshore processing, saying asylum seekers should live in the general community while their applications are assessed.

Together,these policies amount to an open-door policy. If you can get here, come take a place at the table and we'll just keep adding more chairs.

Dear Luciferase,

I totally agree with you on this one.

If the Greens don't bend on this issue and support
Labor - they will lose many supporters at the next
election (if not permanently). This ia one issue
that Australians feel very strongly about - and the
Greens had better wise-up or get out of politics.

Yes Lexie, the Greens must exercise the power they do have to achieve the best outcome they possibly can, which they should realistically accept is not an open-door to asylum seekers.

This is a test of whether they wish to die but once or die a thousand deaths, each of which can each be played out over various issues to keep the bastards honest. Go the Green-o-cats.