Thanks for pointing out the glaringly obvious, Philip, Hasbeen and Ludwig (and that's a sincere thanks). I'd been pondering the matter of helping out asylum seekers who hadn't even made it to our waters, but then got distracted and stopped thinking about that.

But Oto, it was that despicable Rudd character that opened up the wound that Howard had laboriously mended, and allowed onshore asylum seeking to flare up again. That was indescribably STUPID!

After the folly that we went through with this issue for several years starting in August 2001 with the Tampa, how could he have tampered with this legislation??.

It was just so totally uncalled for.

I would say that our government could definitely have prevented this, by implementing policies that strongly deterred onshore asylum seeking, as Howard did…. or by not f>cking around with Howard’s policies in the first place.

Really, Rudd is totally responsible for this mess… for these DEATHS, and previous deaths before this, by opening up the onshore asylum seeking debacle that Howard had decisively dealt with.

Yep, Kevin Rudd, the darling of Labor voters is responsible. Then so is Gillard and the rest of the Labor/Green/independants that comprise the present government. Not only responsible for this 100 or so deaths, but for the 700 others that died over the past few years trying to get here.

I really wonder how concerned they are, or is the PM just making noises?

I do not think much of the illegals because they are gate crashers who are taking advantage of our softness and generosity. They free load on us. But they could be stopped from coming simply by NOT giving them what they want.

So by putting out the welcome mat, our government is directly responsible for enticing them to their deaths.

I am not holding my hand up to be involved in dispute resolution with you folk.
IF you are right, and to some extent you are, how will that truth resolve this issue?
The high court ruled against a solution.
And in doing so we got unshakable warning, with out law changes Nehru could not be used.
Open debate, seems to have shown, almost every one sent to Nehru, then came here.
NO ONE was sent home, Some,VERY FEW, WENT HOME.
Australia runs last here in taking the blame.
How did they travel in Indonesian waters without being stopped.
What blame to the smugglers.
This time at least equipped with life saving gear SOME, they knew of the dangers.
Next GREENS lovers of life!contributed no less than Abbott lover of self, in these deaths.
Show me the answers to SMs questions.
What has DOCTOR NO done except swim in this issue?
And the Morris dancers Greens must be held up as killers of these folk for political gain too.
Do not forget, those human rights lawyers, this morning they know, they killed many that day.

I see this as a Siev X moment for Labor. Just as a boat sinking prompted Howard to stop the boats with the Pacific solution. Perhaps now Labor will be prompted to do the same.

The Pacific solution has been available to Labor for many months. Perhaps the blood on their hands will urge them to abandon their "anything but Nauru" thinking and implement a proven solution.

There are a couple of key points that need to be brought out here:

1) The boat first sought help when it was about 38 nautical miles from its Indonesian port.It was told to turn around and return to port. It ignored that advice and continued on to Christmas Island.

”On Tuesday… [the vessel]… was requesting assistance as one side of the hull was damaged and was taking in water… Australian authorities advised the boat's contact that if the damage was significant the safest course of action was to return to Indonesia [however it proceeded on towards Christmasd Island] Two days later and a suspected people smuggling boat is in trouble and a frantic search and rescue effort is launched.”
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2012/s3530834.htm

2)Another interview I heard late yesterday afternoon on Radio National revealed that a number of the “asylum seekers” had previously sought refugee status with the UNHCR but had not qualified. However, they still took it upon themselves to sail to OZ .Apparently anticipating that once they arrived in Oz without papers they would not be returned.