The following site may help clarify the question
about the United Nations and Australia:

http://www.dfat.gov.au/international-relations/international-organisations/un/pages/united-nations-un.aspx

It's from our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
and explains things for those unfamiliar with this
country's history and involvement with the UN.

The inaction in response to the Rwanda Genocide in 1994
and the failure to halt the 1995 Screbrenica massacre in
Bosnis highlight the complexities of international
responses to crimes against humanity.

What we need to do is perhaps re-frame the issue not
as an argument about the "right to intervene" but make
it about the "responsibility to protect."

Especially concerning the rights of children in immigration
detention.

Hi there BANJO...

I'm sorry for my delay in replying to you, I had a bit of minor surgery on my head this morning, now the anaesthesia has worn off, I've got this thumping headache.

BANJO I'm sure she's still a very lovely person, but as her epithet implies, a very shrewd, cunning and guileful lady indeed ? And not one to pass-up any opportunity to employ her 'lady like' wiliness to advance her argument if necessary ? Occasionally resorting to subterfuge by drawing upon mountains of 'researched' links in order to reinforce her position. The only difficulty I have with this strategy, many of her citations, extracts or allusion are from Sites predominately of the 'Left' ?

Still my friend, this Forum is just a platform or venue, for all of us to voice our opinions and have a good whinge ? Goodness me, neither my wife or extended family will listen to me ! Many of them just end up saying, '...don't worry darling, grandpa is just complaining about something or other...' ?

All of us have our hearts in the right place, and if 'push came to shove' we're Aussies everyone of us, and very protective of that precious appellation, at the end of the day !

Dear O Sung Wu,

Bless your heart.

That's the O Sung Wu - I thought I knew.

BTW: - your remark that I don't say anything positive
about "conservatives" is not quite accurate.

You seem to have forgotten the numerous times that I have
quoted from "The Costello Memoirs." The admiration that I
have expressed for Peter Costello, Peter Coleman, Malcolm
Turnbull (I even started a discussion on Turnbull's
suitability as leader), Kelly O'Dwyer, Josh Frydenberg,
John Hewson, Malcolm Fraser, and of course Sir Robert Menzies.

I've voted Liberal for many,many, years, including at the State
level recently. I come from a family of strictly Liberal
supporters. I found our State Liberal MP excellent - and
I liked Dennis Napthine very much. I started a very positive
discussion on Margaret Thatcher's achievements - and the list
goes on.

What I have been critical of have been the later tactics of our
former PM John Howard. The tactics of our current PM while
in Opposition, and certainly his tactics and those of his
government at present.

However, if you look at the opinion polls - you'd realise
that I am not alone in being disgusted and critical.
This is not the Liberal Party that I used to support.

But enough said. Back to the topic.

G'day there CHRISGAFF1000 and JAY of MELBOURNE...

Chris, perhaps if I had some say in recommending a suitable sidearm to government contracted, security companies who had a brief to provide additional security measures to these troubled Centres ? I'd recommend a .454 Casull on a 'Desert Eagle' frame ? Or too light do you think ? In any event, I should think the number of fallacious complaints, would rapidly disappear in quick time ?

JAY of MELBOURNE...

I don't know about you two gentleman, but I'm heartily sick of the number of complaints that seem to emanate from one or two of these detention centres. After all, many of these alleged refugees, arrive here unannounced, having discarded all documents of identity, we take them in, listen to their accounts. We feed and clothe them, render medical care, provide activities for them in these centres, and instead of fully cooperating with our immigration authorities, they allege all manner of untruths against these centres, and the people who staff those centres. Including the quantity and quality of their food.

Words like ungrateful, unthankful, manipulative, and mendacious do spring to mind. Still, we've an obligation to provide succour and protection to the world's refugees, haven't we ? Still one can't help wondering why and how, this word 'refugee' has become so expansive, so duplicitous and so indeterminate all at the same time ?

It's been suggested many of these people 'shop around' for a western nation that will provide sufficient welfare for themselves and their extended families, then having identified such a country and having carefully examined their welfare benefits, go for it ! And we Aussies, being the unsuspecting souls we are, just cop it sweet. Sorry fellas, had some minor surgery on my ugly melon this morning, the anaesthesia has now worn off, and the mother of a headache is thumping away happily ! See you later.

o sung wu,

Did you happen to see this interesting post by by Jay Of Melbourne? Just to quote some for ease of reference,

"This level of redaction and reliance on unsubstantiated, anonymous testimony is typical of political propaganda:
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/asylum-seekers-and-refugees/national-inquiry-children-immigration-detention-2014-0

Look at the list of submissions, they're in a narrow range from stakeholders in the refugee industry such as the churches and refugee advocates, providers of health services to the disadvantaged to your usual open borders nuts. It is a biased report full of falsehoods, rumour and innuendo (particularly the risible "expert" testimony)but as usual the less than intelligent attorney general and his similarly intellectually challenged boss are approaching this in the only way they know how, the wrong way.

The coalition have to choose between civil rights and human rights, the two ideals are in direct opposition to one another, you can't assert inalienable human rights of one group without trampling the civil rights of another."
[Posted by Jay Of Melbourne, Wednesday, 25 February 2015 5:31:39 PM]

One wonders what level of accommodation and services are expected. Of course what the economic migrants want for the payment to the smugglers is free citizenship without checks, a ticket to 'Wonderful Centrelink' for life and a podium for complain for more.

Here is the potted history under Rudd, Gillard and the Greens,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0MHRSFz6FM

It is what the Abbott government inherited.

What did the Human Rights Commission have to say about stopping the deaths at sea from people smuggling gangs?

Since you're all continuing to play partisan politics with the related issue, I'll just drop this into the mix....

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/26/labor-policy-damaged-children-its-time-they-owned-up-to-it?CMP=share_btn_tw

The "issue", however, is Brandis sending his agent to offer an inducement to Triggs to "move on".

I note the govt were eager to continue their misleading of parliament today in Question time...denying that another "job" had been mooted to Ms Triggs if she "moved on"

Moraitis testimony at estimates (under oath):

"He said he had, at Brandis’s request, told Triggs she had lost the confidence of the government, and of Brandis himself. He denied he had used the word resignation, but he agreed he had offered her another, specific “senior legal role” and that accepting that role would have meant she would have had to leave the human rights commission, that “one would follow from the other”."

Thats:

"...he agreed he had offered her another, specific “senior legal role”..."

I don't think he could have put it more clearly than that - and "still" the govt stands up on the floor of parliament and denies what we all know.

...........

platypus,

I can't be bothered replying to you, just as it seems you can't be bothered inserting capitals and fullstops.

.........

o sung wu, continuing his critique of Foxy, makes the obsevation that she's:

"....a very shrewd, cunning and guileful lady indeed ? And not one to pass-up any opportunity to employ her 'lady like' wiliness to advance her argument if necessary ? Occasionally resorting to subterfuge by drawing upon mountains of 'researched' links in order to reinforce her position...."

And Foxy reacts with - "Bless your heart.

That's the O Sung Wu - I thought I knew."

Fascinating, I'm sure, but - Sheesh!