"Frankly, if the rate of refugees emanating from that region remains the same as it is at present, I think that both schemes are going to be ineffectual. I note in the wake of Rudd's announcement, the boats haven't stopped yet."
Poirot, good point, I supported Rudd's "solution" simply because I believed it would stop the boats and save peoples lives. I never though that anyone would end up being resettled in PNG. The jury is still out as to the effectiveness of it all. Rudd and Labor have a lot riding on it politically, if it fails then its curtains for Labor. The danger then is if the conservatives solution is implemented and it fails then I can see even more inhuman and draconian measures being implemented by the Coalition, particularly if they were to take control of the Senate.

Rehctub "Every labor lover needs to remember one very very important fact, that being we are only trying to fix something that wasn't broken until your beloved Kevin came along."

I'm no fan of Rudd, and if indeed he did 'break' the former laws re asylum seekers, then what I don't understand is WHY Abbott didn't reintroduce Howard's laws again now?

Why can't we have the protection visa's back?
Isn't it true that in today's world problems , it does appear that there are far more refugees looking for help than back in Howard's day though?

I don't believe the PNG solution will work, but then neither will the wispy-washy ' military' solution proffered by the Liberals...

SOL,

"what I don't understand is WHY Abbott didn't reintroduce Howard's laws again now?"

As opposition leader that is impossible. If he could he would.

I have been thinking.
I think and hope honestly.
About my views stated here in general and just what are they.
A bias as some say? a miss informed group of my hopes?
Do any of us truly know what our posts are.
Well on this subject here are what I think are both my true thoughts and facts about this subject.
True solutions for stopping the flow of the boats are becoming rare, and very hard task with increasingly fewer answers.
I believe both sides know, this stand by Rudd is both costly, the whole issue has been and is frighteningly costly.
And both sides , seeing coalition has said it will keep the policy, think it in time, at great cost, will work.
Other country,s in the region may take part, and opponents to our rejection of mass uninvited refugees, will highlight a truth, it is costing too much.
But most, doubt if you want, are willing to pay, to stop the boats, forever.
We tend to forget, at least the teary eyed advocates of open door policy,s, that in one single day,say Egypt exploding in to internal war we could see hundreds of thousands set out to come here.
Forget at your peril, current migrant enclavism, longterm welfare reliance and a separatism never seen in past migration arrivals has driven us, mostly, to refuse that open gate not be closed.

The UNHCR refugee camps get tents, so why bother with more than that.
PNG is a good idea. If it works or not, only time will tell. Abbott has done no favors at all, while saying at the same time they will keep PNG.
All that does is show his non intelligence and treat AU as a dump.

Susie,
When the Libs get office, TPVs will likely be the first thing introduced. However the illegals and the smugglers now reckon we are so soft that it will take far more to stop them coming.

Rudd, and Gillard, have so weakened any respect the illegals had for us that they now laugh at us. That may change with a new government.

Labor will not have TPVs because it was 'a Howard thing'