"It is clear that bias against refugees is so ingrained, in the minds of a number of people on this thread, that totally fail to see the difference between saving someone in peril on the high seas, and what to do about the refuge problem"

No that isn't what it is about at all. Unless you are saying that the Australian Navy should be steaming to the Bay of Bengal, roughly 9,000km one way as the crow flies to run a taxi service back to the Sydney and Melbourne Centrelink Offices so favoured by the earlier waves of single men (and the token women and children for the news and 'current affairs' cameras).

It is about criminal gangs, opportunists and countries in the region not sorting out the contributing causes, including putting the gangs involved in people smuggling out of business.

Australia has NO duty whatsoever to be the moral policeman and Christ-like saviour in far flung regions of the world.

Where and when were the Australian public ever consulted about this and immigration policies generally? Leave out the 'polls' that like advertisers' surveys always deliver the desired result.

Who is behind the slippery conflation of 'refugee' with economic migrant and for what reasons?

What consideration is being given to ways to deter and prevent the large flows and even bigger expected, tsunamis, of migrants world-wide?

What is known is that the federal government was elected on a promise to put people traffickers out of business. It is doing that.

The current government was not elected to keep
us in the dark and not tell us what they are
doing. They were not given a mandate to hide
things from the voting public .

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/04/yes-tony-abbott-has-stopped-the-boats-but-the-cost-is-catastrophic

What ever happened to this story? Did she visit or not? -

Jolie, a UN goodwill ambassador, was invited by the Pacific island nation's President Baron Waqa when they met at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence Against Women in Conflict in London.

"The government of Nauru can confirm that Angelina Jolie has accepted an invitation by President Baron Waqa to visit our nation," a government spokeswoman told AFP.

"We believe this will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the facilities for refugees on Nauru, which we believe are world-best practice."

onthebeach
Well thank you for proving my point. I will remember from now on, that when I see someone drowning at the beach, the standard procedure is first check to see if they are a pensioner, or on unemployment benefits, if so then just roll over and go back to sleep. Further if I see anyone offering to save them for cash I am to intervene and stop them from gaining an advantage from someone in trouble.

There is a lot of speculation in your article by Lenore Taylor, Foxy.

The one thing she has got right is the Abbott government delivered on its promise and stopped the boats.

Keeping the methodology secret, not running to the press with every boat encounter, and holding a firm line my not be what the open door immigration apologists like, but its working well and achieving the goal. Why should the government answer loaded questions from people like Lenore, just because she wants answers?

Lenore Taylor's headline "Yes, Tony Abbott has 'stopped the boats'. But the cost is catastrophic" is nothing more than lefty sensationalism.

Do you suppose Lenore would be happy to invite a couple of refugees to come live with her while they await processing? Or even you Foxy, why not put up your hand to take one into your place until he/she gets on their feet?

Good afternoon to you STEELEREDUX...

Impossible as it were to place you on my knee and teach you anything of benefit, given you lacked so much formal education, other than, 'values' ? Perhaps it's appropriate at this point, that we pause a moment, for the explicit purpose of complimenting you, for your extraordinary ability to gaze into the hearts and minds of others. Particularly your uncanny potential to reach, deep inside their souls to examine the precise measure of their 'value system' !

Ethicality, principles and morality, all just words describing some of the basic constituents of the noun 'values' ? Something that you claim is intrinsically embedded in your character, and in your opinion, totally absent from mine ?

Wasn't it you a moment ago who asserted that I had engaged in a 'dummy spit'; 'being on my high horse'; and I was 'swathed in my own indignity' or something similar. Mate,I've received less censure from some notable crooks, than I have from you ?

I hadn't realized what a flawed individual I am ? What then would you have me do, eh STEELEREDUX ? How should I go about addressing these obvious imperfections ? Or more correctly termed, a real 'aberration' in my character ? Perhaps I never had any values in the first place ? Your insight is astounding, given your lack of formal education ?

Being the altruistic humanitarian that you aver, pray tell me then ? How should someone who's so badly flawed and misguided as am I, one who enjoys the allegorical company of racists; how on earth do I modify my belief systems ? Including my contrary attitude towards others from differing cultures, cultures imbued with savagery towards their own women folk, who practice an entirely different religious expression ? Over to you STEELEREDUX, in that I might learn from your wise, and measured counsel ?