Asylum immigrants - Green Light

[Julia]

Abbotts smirk about the asylum policy is interesting


From Crikey

But, having paid close or not-so-close attention to federal politics since the early 1980s, I can't do anything but conclude that the Coalition's current stance on asylum seekers is the clearest example of outright evil that I've ever seen from a political party at the federal level.

Of course. Leave it to Crikey to manage to blame the Libs for the situation. No matter that the Labor government dismantled a perfectly functional system. It's still all Tony Abbott's fault.
Evil??? That's a bit ridiculous, even for the ultra left Crikey.

I've got a trial sub with Crikey I'd like to keep it going but it's too left wing.

When it first started it was quite amusing. Now it is absolutely a Left diatribe.

I don't quite get it. If the government were to embrace the coalition's position, what exactly has to pass through parliament? Can they just get on with it?

I think the sticking point is that the Coalition will only endorse the government's proposed legislation if the Malaysia Solution is dropped out, unless Malaysia becomes a signatory to the Human Rights Convention.
Since that is very unlikely, they are at an impasse. The government in turn will not adopt the Coalition's policy unless it includes Malaysia.
So reassuring to know we are governed with such maturity and integrity.

Both sides are taking a position based purely on their own political best interests. Any euphemistic murmurings about concern regarding loss of lives is insincerity personified.

 

[numbercruncher]

Pretty small numbers that we are dealing with in the scheme of it -

Refugee crisis escalates: Afghanistan remains top source
By Rose Gordon Sala *-* Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:09 AM EDT

The number of refugees that crossed border to flee their homes hit an 11-year high last year, the United Nations refugee agency reported Monday, June 18.

More than 800,000 people worldwide became refugees last year by moving across international borders, a record number, reported the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The total number of refugees around the globe, including those displaced within their own countries and those actively seeking asylum, dipped slightly to 42.5 million from 43.7 million in 2010. The decline was caused due to a large number of those displaced within their own countries returning to their homes.

Afghanistan, where the U.S. has been at war for more than a decade, continues to be the top producer of refugees with 2.7 million. The UNHCR estimates that one out of four refugees originate from Afghanistan. About 95% of them reside in neighboring Pakistan and Iran.

Iraq, where the United States pulled out the last of its troops at the end of last year after an eight-year war, produced the second largest refugee population with 1.4 million.

Crises in Côte d'Ivoire, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan also impacted the refugee rate last year.

While the U.S. receives the most asylum requests among 44 industrialized nations, it is Germany that has ranked as the largest host country to refugees over the last four years, the report found.

The UNHCR warned in its report that refugees are likely to remain so for many years.

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[drsmith]

Shadow immigration minister Scott Morrison showed that last night when he made clear on 7.30 that even if Labor embraced the Coalition's position entirely it wouldn't get agreement.

What's clear from that interview is that the Coalition don't support the malaysian agreement in its present form. Beyond that, well, Leigh Sales it never really got beyond that, but Andrew Bolt and Steve Price did.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3532722.htm

 

[moXJO]

Labor might have managed a solution if they had not damaged relations with Indonesia after their knee jerk reaction with the live cattle trade, and Rudds ability to destroy partnerships through his grandstanding.

 

[bellenuit]

Another boat is sinking

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...christmas-island/story-fn9hm1gu-1226409942824

Rescue launched as new asylum-seeker boat carrying upt to 150 capsizes off Christmas Island

ONE week after up to 90 asylum-seekers perished, authorities are responding to another major disaster at sea with a rescuer confirming a second asylum boat carrying 150 people has capsized north of Christmas island.

One merchant vessel is on the scene attempting to rescue survivors and Defence boats and P3 surveillance planes are at least two hours away.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed to The Australian a capsized boat has been located 107 nautical miles north of Christmas Island.

A major rescue operation is now underway.

A spokeswoman for AMSA said survivors were clinging to the hull of the upturned boat.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed to The Australian Defence and merchant vessels were sailing towards the site of the boat carrying up to 150 people, which is reported to be 107 nautical miles north of Christmas Island.

A spokeswoman for AMSA said the Australian Federal Police received a satellite phone call from somebody on the boat at 6.20am.

The spokeswoman said those aboard the boat claimed the vessel was in distress, however it is not known what the nature of the emergency was.

According to the report ''up to 150 people'' could be on board.

One merchant vessel is already on the scene, the AMSA spokeswoman said.

The vessel has reportedly sighted ''a number'' of boats in the vicinity, including fishing boats, but none that appear to be foundering.

Details were sketchy, but it appears authorities have yet to sight the vessel, nor is it clear how many were on board.

Unconfirmed reports off Christmas Island suggested the boat may have been taking on water. It is understood the boat was overloaded with Afghans.

The new arrival comes as signs emerged in Canberra of a possible breakthrough on the political impasse over asylum-seeker policy.

More than 40 MPs from all sides of politics have joined a cross-parliamentary group demanding a compromise solution to the nation's border protection crisis.

The growing cross-parliamentary group met today and will release a statement this afternoon.

The incident comes one week to the day after a boat carrying more than 200 people capsized 200 nautical miles north of Christmas Island on its way to Australia.

The tragedy, which claimed up to 90 lives, reignited the political debate over offshore processing, heaping pressure on both sides of politics to do a deal to restore some sort of deterrent.

 

[sails]

Shameful. Labor/greens policy clearly isn't working. They wanted onshore processing and, when it doesn't work, it's all Abbott's fault.

They deliberately broke the Pacific Solution that worked for political point scoring. They need to fix it ASAP.

 

[dutchie]

We really do need an election, now!

This incompetence just can't go on.

 

[MrBurns]

This Govt not content with wasting $billions has now moved on to the the ultimate incompetance... wasting lives.

I wish Costello was in question time to take these bastards apart, the last couple of question times all I've seen is pathetic dorothy dixers to the wreckers and Madam Speaker giving Libs the call then immediately telling them to resume their seats.

 

[Happy]

I still believe that it is not our problem if somebody risks life for
lifetime on social benefit in public housing.

Just for the portion of smuggling boat ticket price, buy air ticket and keep your papers with you
so you don't have to invent your name, age or origin, when asking for permanent residency.

 

[dutchie]

In 2003, as Shadow Minister for Immigration, Julia Gillard commented on illegal boat arrivals saying: “Another boat, another policy failure.”


As Prime Minister some nine years later, Ms Gillard has failed to address the heinous trade in people trafficking from Indonesia with the latest tragedy unfolding off the coast of Christmas Island.

 

[Julia]

I still believe that it is not our problem if somebody risks life for
lifetime on social benefit in public housing.

Just for the portion of smuggling boat ticket price, buy air ticket and keep your papers with you
so you don't have to invent your name, age or origin, when asking for permanent residency.

Seems so logical, doesn't it. Why don't they do this?
We seem to be able to make available unlimited resources to those who have made the choice to get on the boats
whilst not able to properly support so many of our own people who are in need.

What is this about?

 

[noco]

This Govt not content with wasting $billions has now moved on to the the ultimate incompetance... wasting lives.

I wish Costello was in question time to take these bastards apart, the last couple of question times all I've seen is pathetic dorothy dixers to the wreckers and Madam Speaker giving Libs the call then immediately telling them to resume their seats.

Question time is so farcical now, I don't bother to watch it.

 

[MrBurns]

Question time is so farcical now, I don't bother to watch it.

It's a damn disgrace but I watch it anyway.

 

[Calliope]

This boat sank in Indonesian waters. Does that mean those rescued will be taken back to Indonesia? Apparently it carried the wives and children of the men on the boat that sank last week, also in Indonesian waters.

 

[Happy]

Question time is so farcical now, I don't bother to watch it.

Yes, tell me about it !

I don't have a folding knife, but it still opens in my pocket listening to this degrading crap.

 

[Calliope]

I still believe that it is not our problem if somebody risks life for
lifetime on social benefit in public housing.

We can shuck off our guilt feelings about this boat sinking. It was all a stunt.

An asylum-seeker boat which sunk en route to Australia was sabotaged by those aboard the vessel, a senior official with Indonesia's search and rescue agency says.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...otaged-indonesia/story-fn3dxix6-1226410340392

 

[Calliope]

Surprise,surprise!

Stopping the flow was, as Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said, the objective of every member of the House.

Well, he was wrong. The Deputy Leader of the Greens Adam Bandt, the MP for Melbourne, wasn’t interested in diverting the asylum seekers to third countries or making it harder for them to get residency here.

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/no-greens-we-cant-wait-for-world-peace-to-stop-the-boats/

 

[sptrawler]

Well reading this Fairfax report, it would indicate Abbott has a better take on the issues than Gillard. It is a bit sketchy but his offer off increasing the intake as well as initiating a deterent policy, seems more coherent than labor. Who seem completely focused on Malaysia at all cost, even though it is a lost cause.
This is the whole problem with labor and still persists, where they will not change bad policy decisions, it is a legacy of their term in office. They will be remembered for being arrogant, unbending and immature.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/po...-debate-asylum-compromise-20120627-2129x.html

 

[IFocus]

How did Howard get the Pacific solution through again?

 

[sptrawler]

How did Howard get the Pacific solution through again?

Wasn't it with the support of the party who threw it out?
You guessed it the ones with toes missing and black burn marks on their feet.