Dear Poirot,

Shadow Minister is doing his usual defending
of an indefensible situation - that needs
explaning. I don't understand why the Prime
Minister can't explain his government's
actions, and the reasons behind them.
Or deny the actions if they did not happen.
Then the matter would close down. At the moment
the question of - how paying people smugglers to
take people to Indonesia was contributing to
"stopping people smugglers" remains somewhat
difficult to define.

Immigration and law experts in newspapers have stated
that giving people smugglers money would be
"unprecedented," as it constitutes a form of people
trafficking and bribery.
Apparently this conduct is a breach of both
domestic, international, and Indonesian law.

SM,

But they didn't give them "ample fuel".

They put them in one of Australia's new sub-standard boats, supplied them with enough fuel to run out before they reached land, didn't give them any other supplies, initially accosted them in international waters, juggled them around a bit within Oz waters, then sent them packing - to what would have been their doom, had the other ship not been able to take them on.

And all in the service of "....taking all legal measures to prevent the massacre of women and children?"

(Funny way to go about it)

So pleased you approve.

"...and zero deaths at sea under the coalition such a crime."

Like CH says...you can't "prove" that. We've only got the govt's word for it.

Notwithstanding that they're such a trustworthy bunch Lol!

Hi Foxy,

"The reason lovable Tones is not being forthcoming is because he doesn't have to. He's well and truly bunkered down behind fortress "operational matters" and therefore can get away with treating us all like mushrooms.

He doesn't particularly care what we're saying about him because he's merely politicking in order to wedge Labor on his beloved "terror tooting"

It's a tried and true method for dragging the populace with you...just ask Goering, who knew a thing or two about the tactic:

Quote: "...after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

"....voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

I love transparent government, don't you!

"Just as disturbing are the legal, moral and diplomatic questions raised by implicit confirmation that the government has taken its end-justifies-the-means border protection policy to an, until now, unimagined extreme." That's a bit dramatic Foxy.

If we were discussing someone who was arrested on terrorism charges, or a dodgy Labor politician accused of wife beating, you would be adamant we use the word alleged until the crime was proven, but you aren't calling this an alleged payment are you? You've judged and handed down your decision, an action I've seen you scold others for doing.

You refuse to believe there is any positive rationale in not divulging the operational strategy; you also cannot see that if the smugglers were regularly paid to return their passengers, their passengers would no longer be able to trust them and would be inclined to not gamble their hard earned savings.

Like Poirot and some of the other conspiracy theorists, you both choose to assume there is a sinister right wing plot at work. Foxy takes no umbrage with Poirot's false accusation that people have died at sea under this government; possibly even holding the same view. Perfectly acceptable if you are Left leaning but totally out of order from the Right.

And for the umpteenth time Poirot drags out her favourite Herman Goering's quote, the one she obtained from the Climate Change Alarmist Handbook, as proof the Government is duping us.

This forum would be boring without Foxy & Poirot; although I admit sometimes I tend to fall asleep half way through some of Foxy's long winded contributions, especially when I see she's repeating herself with an almost identical comment to one's she's already posted couple of times previously in the same thread.

Dear ConservativeHippie,

I appreciate your comments and your views.

However, by not denying, the Prime Minister
implies it did happen. All that is being asked
of him is accountability and transparency -
seeing as these are very serious allegations.
And considering that the man went after union
"slush funds" with great relish, went after
the Human Rights Commissioner, went after
Peter Slipper,et al, he can't now hide behind
"security," and operational matters.
That is simply a political tactic and it is
not credible. Voters are being treated with
disrespect. If he does the chasing when he sees
political gain in it for him. He can't expect not
to be chased in return when he's suspected
of being at fault. BTW - The evidence has been provided
by witnesses that it did happen. The Indonesians
have proof.

Foxy, do you remember a couple years ago some conspiracy theorists were saying President Obama's birth certificate was forged and requesting he provide an original to prove them wrong. Obama said he wasn't playing that game and refused to cooperate. Does that mean they were right and he isn't actually an American?