Dear Paul,

I've cited on another discussion that
"quality debate about big issues is poor.
It appears that it's not so much a policy debate
anymore - but debates about personal attributes,
personalities..."

Peter Costello said it well when he pointed out that,
"These days politics is more about gaining and
holding office than using office to improve things
for the better."

And former attorney-general and foreign minister,
Gareth Evans pointed out "The quality of policy debate in
the last election campaign was as desolate as it gets -
including, it has been acknowledged on the Labor side:
all Hill and no Light."

The public are currently being fed rehearsed lines, and
they know it.

It's a dreadful situation on Manus Island - and I certainly
don't have the answers for this complex problem. However,
there surely must be better solutions to what's currently
happening. And finger-pointing, and blaming is not going
to solve the situation. Surely our political leaders
instead could come together on this and try to find workable
answers.

As Henry Lawson wrote so many years ago:

"They lie, the men who tell us in a loud decisive tone
That want is here a stranger, and that misery's unknown;
I wonder would the apathy of wealthy men endure
Were all their windows level with the faces of the poor?"
(Henry Lawson, Faces in the Street).

Manus Island detention Center was first set up under John Howard and used by the Gillard and Rudd Governments with little media attention till this current outbreak. Which the Refugee advocates now love to blame Tony Abbott for the riots. Because our border control is now much more effective those seeking life in Australia have been frustrated. Let us wait till we have a full and fair assessment of just what took place and the causes of the riot.

We still have people that don't recognise that we have a coalition govt; The same opposition that was all talk before the election. They had everything fixed, but now we see they don't do anything. How long will our navy be floating around in water off of Indonesia. Forever or longer. The activities of the coalition are stacking on an extra 140 million $ / day. with no solutions. since they have come to power the tally by april will be 60 billion $.

579,
Since you blame the present Government of stopping the boats by their presence; how do you suggest we stop the boats without using the Navy to protect our borders. Actual costed suggestions please!

Josephus,
Expecting answers on a forum such as this is drawing a long bow.
What is presented here are only opinions and we all have those.
Those that are capable of providing solutions I doubt would be within a bulls roar of Parliament House or this forum.
It would seem we prefer the political solutions, makes for better reading I guess.
SD

When considering costs it should be borne in mind that most of the costs attributed to the Navy are standing costs/charges and will occur no matter which sea or ocean they are operating in.