We could this morning fill manus Island the Nehru.
And have enough to fill both again.
We are in very real trouble.
If only we knew the true cost to this country, how many new Hospitals, Schools?
Can we Blame the ALP if we must, for past foolish mistakes.
But with true hearts and minds think about solutions not convictions.
Parliament sat this week, a Bun fight within a riot, not one question about this massive debt making problem.
How can it be? that I think/know I see our money poring down a big bottomless hole.
And too no bias, that I see a man we one day will ALL be happy to see the last off Abbott watching it go, with a grin.
Here some would even support drowning them at sea, thankfully few.
Yet Malaysia waits, willing to be part of the resolution.
What other country, in what part of the would, is willing to help? to take these folk.
Our country is being out maneuvered by criminal smugglers.
Will we ever again stop the boats, is the unfairness to boat refugees, a term I question, worse than being unfair to those folk in need of a Hospital or School, maybe ten off them?

Belly,
This present Labor government must own up to directly causing the illegals problem. They stuffed it up big time and now the illegals believe we are so soft and stupid that they still come and we accept them. I read this morning that the Sri Lankan government has turned around 50 boats in recent times. We even gave in completely in the 'Oceanic Viking' fiasco and, to date about 1000 have died. Those we rescued in Indonesian waters, got a free ride to Christmas Island.

The starting point to stop the boats coming is to fully implement the previous governments policies, including TPVs. Try Malaysia as well if you like, but now far tougher measures are required.

What about no legal aid, no family reunion, no documents= no visa ever.

The expenditure and waste created by this government is ridiculous. It must be made not worth the illegals trouble to get here, and then they will stop. Do not give them what they seek.

Belly, I agree it is pointless playing the blame game any further, however, having said this, labor should do the honorable thing and walk away from governing this country, otherwise we face the prospect of them being re elected by default, for something like Tony Abbott upsetting someone, or some group.

That is step one.

Step two is to do what Banjo suggests, that being reintroducing EVERYTHING that worked in the past.

Unfortunately though, nothing other than a big stick will work now as this fiasco has been allowed to run virtually unchecked for several years now and no amount of soft alternatives will work.

Quite simply, this is us being peacefully invaded, a product of utter utter incompetence, almost singlehandedly by one power hungry man who woke up one morning and decided to fix something that simply wasn't broken.

With the figure being something like $4.5 billion, and counting, I fear we will have to cut many services and slash much needed financial assistance for our own unless someone grows some balls and treats this issue for what it is, a war, albeit a peaceful one, at the moment.

Gentlemen in a dispute we each grab our guns and hold our ground, and nothing changes.
Yes Labor bought this about, but holding on to that will fix nothing.
Let us first ask why Labor got it wrong.
International concerns, in all probability no less than now, made them want a softer solution.
They failed.
That international UNHCR and others, disquiet will grow if we turn the boats around.
Or fail to see the TPV will no longer work.
Both sides want to look better than the other.
And both betray us all.
Labor was told, and informed the Libs, Nehru would not work, it has not.
Both sides need a kick in the ring, now.
Malaysia is more cruel than TPVs, those holding TPVs mostly came here full time.
IF we send all 800-1600-2400 to Malaysia, and take [we already are taking 4.000 ] our up to 12.000, and they stay at the end of a list, for years.
Surely the boats will stop?
Tell me another solution, I would like the government, beg them! to implement every coalition wish bar sending the boats back, to prove it will not work.
To let us move on to an end to the boats.
How about we pay a $100.000 reward for every smuggler convicted and sentenced?

To hell with international concern, we have to stop this rot.

I don't think there would be much international concern either. Apart from a few bleeding heart & the UN most would cheer, & follow our example.

The UN is the crux of the problem. Idiot Gillard wanting a seat on the security council, & Ruddy a top job is what led them to the softly softly approach, & still stops our fool lady doing anything in Oz favour now.

Tow them back & be damned. That or warn a few, & sink them if they enter our waters after that warning, is probably the only solution now. The larger any outcry, the sooner boats would stop.

The only other choice is a slow one, but should work. We have to offer safety to those who make our shore, by this fool convention, but that does not entail resettlement, or any other services.

We could set up a compound in say the pilbara, similar to the UN refugee camps in Africa. Supply tents food & safety, with no chance of entering Oz as a citizen, & over time the flood will stop.

What ever we do, it had better be soon, My son tells me the navy is getting an increasing flow of resignations, from men who won't keep towing illegals into Oz much longer. The problem is now too large for Julia to avoid any longer.

Who said boat people is not working ? I think it works better than they could have hoped for. In fact, it's a marvel of a system. They've managed to get more people into the country than the immigration department's visa system.