SM,

The track record of Mr Abbott and Scott Morrison
is not clean. What about the government's legal
and moral responsibilities to those it is
"supporting?"

The following link expresses the concern of most Australians:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/scott-morrison-all-at-sea-over-asylum-solution-20140219-3318v.html

SM,

I see you have installed Dictionary Online, so as not to offend you sensibilities, you may substitute the word PICNIC for CARNAGE in my post.
While your at it, giving me an English lesson, what is a good word to use for something that is obviously a 'contrition in terms', like for example someone was to say;
"The track record of Abbott and Morison is clean." The words ABBOTT and MORRISON cannot be used in the same sentence as the word CLEAN. a word that sounds a lot like moron springs to mind.

Foxy,

Bruce Haigh being a far left bleeding heart refugee activist, is further to the left than the Labor party, and represents an ever shrinking group of ideologues that think that open borders is the right thing to do.

BH has railed against immigration detention, TPVs, off shore processings and boat turnarounds, claiming that none of them had any effect or were impossible. More recently he was claiming that the coalition's boat turnarounds risked war with Indonesia. So far he has been wrong on every count especially as Indonesia was fully co operative in the first couple of boat turnarounds.

Several polls have been done over the last 5 years and every one strongly favours strong border protection and stopping the boats by about 80% to 20%.

This is closer to what most Australians think:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/turn-back-time-and-political-spin-on-boats-proves-far-from-reality/story-e6frgd0x-1226827608907

"After Labor relaxed the regime, 820 boats arrived carrying 51,870 asylum-seekers and more than 1200 others (that we know of) drowned at sea. Detention centres were opened and filled in every state, asylum-seekers were sent largely unsupported into the community and taxpayers were hit with $10 billion in additional costs."

And quotes from Labor included:

"You know that Tony Abbott’s policy of turning the boats back won’t work,” said soon-to-be immigration minister Chris Bowen before the 2010 election.

Then prime minister Julia Gillard said: “In his own policy document (Tony Abbott) says that the so-called turnaround of boats would only happen, and I quote - ‘where circumstances permit’ - this is an admission that it won’t work.”

Said then defence minister Stephen Smith: “Seven boats were turned back under John Howard and everyone knows it’s not a practical way forward.”

Said Bowen in 2012: “All the advice to us, all the evidence to us from navy and other government agencies, is that it’s completely impractical to turn boats around. Indonesia has said very clearly and repeatedly that they will not accept boat turnarounds, they just won’t co-operate with it and so the big problem with Tony Abbott’s plan is it just doesn't work.”

Every single one was wrong, and 1200 died.

Paul I would not be too concerned at SM sharp words tells more about him than you.
I want to make it clear I do not support the governments silence on this issue.
Surely most Australians do not like or trust them for it.
I however continue to be unconcerned that some pain comes with a successful stop to the boats.
And say, clearly, if a future ALP government can not assure us they will not restart it will not be in government.

For this reason Malaysian solution still seems the cheapest and best, and as a regional effort the long term one.

SM,

Gotta laugh - the usual accusations when somebody dares
to question the politicla actions of the extreme Right.
I guess the same strategy that worked previously -
repeat things often enough and people will come to
believe it - is being tried here again. But guess what -
nobody's buying it! The "we can't discuss on-water activities,"
is no longer working -es[ecially when the activities are on land,
and people
are demanding answers - questions need to be asked.
But keep on wriggling.

Why is it, if you show the slightest bit of humanity about yourself there are some who want to demonise you as a "lefty". Bruce Haigh is such a person, who cops such an undeserved tag. No doubt through his years of working in third world countries, mostly doing an outstanding job on Australia's behalf, Bruce has come to embrace the stance he has on issues, not the least on the question of asylum seekers. I think Bruce Haigh's credentials stack up rather well, when compared to those of Abbott's and Morrison's when it come to the issue of asylum seekers.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/bruce-haigh-28220.html

A good February article by BH in the SMH.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/scott-morrison-all-at-sea-over-asylum-seeker-solution-20140219-3318v.html