Kevin Rudd has no idea what he’s doing on boat arrivals

David says:

07:37am | 15/10/09

How a prime minister can appear a fool was apparent during that interview re illegal queue jumoers .
He looked uncomfortable and unsure of himself and the people smugglers must be cheering .
The sooner he gets an overseas job , the better .
Just shows that bullshit baffles brains .

Wayne H says:

07:44am | 15/10/09

Scott, I watched your interview on Sky News Agenda yesterday with Mike Kelly. What an ignorant and arrogant man that is! How you didn’t tell him to shut up is beyond me. I felt like snotting him myself. But what really stood out to me was his robot like responses. Is the whole Labor party on drugs? Rudd has stuffed this one and of that there is no doubt. I’m all for taking in refugees but only if they come in the front door. KRudd can claim push factors until he is blue in the face, it’s pull in this case. I am all for the pacific solution. Don’t let them get to the mainland. Bring it back please Mr Rudd. You are a soft coc* when it comes to just whom and how we allow people to enter our country. Lucky we don’t have a land border.

jack says:

08:29am | 15/10/09

I feel sorry for people like you david, because you have not got enough brains even to be prime minister, and as for Scott Morrison he is like the rest of his colleaques he still think they are in goverment, what is your solution scott (come on tell us)

Andrew says:

08:42am | 15/10/09

The title of the article sums it up: “Kevin Rudd has no idea”. 

It is very hard for him to know what is going on in his country when he spends so little time in it.

Joel B1 says:

08:43am | 15/10/09

Well said.
Australia needs to accept more refugees but through legitimate channels. Not on a leaking hulk run by people smugglers for profit.

iansand says:

09:01am | 15/10/09

Someone is trying to frighten me.  Again.

Peter says:

09:03am | 15/10/09

“the list of countries between the Middle East and Australia who are not signatories include Indonesia, Malaysia ... Pakistan”

Aren’t we continually told that Islam is an open and welcoming religion?  That one of the fundamental elements of Islam is hospitality to visitors? 

So why aren’t they looking after their co-religionists?  Why don’t they feel any obligations to look after their Muslim Borthers but, instead, force them onwards to Australia?  What is the real agenda here?

Patrick says:

09:05am | 15/10/09

“On the Coalition’s watch illegal boat arrivals went to zero. That is an undisputed fact. We took the actions we felt necessary at the time and got the results…...........Just as it was back in 2001, fairness, equality of access and our sovereign right for our own processes to be respected, is what this debate is all about.”

What you fail to mention is that under the Coalition, illegal immigrants, that is “illegal immigrants”, not “asylum seekers”, skyrocketed via our airports where the vast majority of both illegals and asylum seekers enter this country. Your lot where good at demonising asylum seekers on rickety boats as rampaging invading asian hordes come to blow up our buildings and eat our children, but not very good at actually adressing Australia’s illegal immigrant issues, which occur by way of air traffic.

Wayne H says:

09:05am | 15/10/09

Jack, you blokes keep forgetting who is in government and it’s not the Liberal/National parties. We didn’t have this issue at the end of their reign now did we? It’s the Governments policy that has caused this and no amount of buck passing can change that. Rudd now is talking about processing on the main land again in Darwin. Build it and they will come!

Tim says:

09:07am | 15/10/09

It would be better if it actually said somewhere that Scott Morrison was a Liberal MP rather than leaving readers to research for themselves the reason this person is coming out with the usual Liberal bilge.

Only 3.4% of refugees come to this country by boat - and, personally, I find the idea of using these most vulnerable and desperate cases as some sort of political football pretty awful. But then it’s not exactly new or unexpected behaviour.

Voxpop says:

09:09am | 15/10/09

The thing is people are becoming far more accepting of the reasons why these desperate people choose this as an option to escape the terrible circumstances they are subject to (I know if I were in their position I’d do the same).  So the way to tackle this is to provide humanitarian aid to them and process them in a timely manner - while heavily prosecuting and targeting the smugglers that make money off exploiting them. 

The Liberal party can dog whistle to the rednecks and stir up a frenzy with dodgy media support but fair minded people can see through this.

Stacy says:

09:09am | 15/10/09

I can’t get enough of Rudd’s feigned attacks on the “vermin of people smugglers”. His pollsters like it because it makes him look tough while pacifying the left by not attacking asylum seekers.

BMJ says:

09:28am | 15/10/09

The biggest problem with this whole issue is managing international perception of what Australia does with boat people.

I don’t think anyone wants to see these boat people jumping the queue and hurting refugees that try and seek asylum through legitimate means.

However just turning boats away flatly is something that’s frowned upon in the world, especially when there are such high expectations placed on Australia by the world community.

The reason it’s hard to solve this issue is that we all want things that conflict with each other. We don’t want a river of asylum seekers everywhere but on the other hand we still want to be a champion of justice and human rights.

Mark says:

09:28am | 15/10/09

I just love the way Rudds supporters now say it’s being used as a political game. All we heard about in campaign mode was Rudd blurting out all over our airwaves. TV’s Newspapers and online about border protection and refugees. On an on AND on he went, day in day out. But now THEY are in Government it’s not to be mentioned and should have no media coverage. This time it sounds like you Rudd lovers are sounding desperate for a change. Rudds Border Protection Policy is causing desperate refugees to jump into sinking boats and try to get here. And no most refugees don’t know the Governments policy, the people smuggglers know it.

Mark B says:

09:31am | 15/10/09

One wonders what the Liberal Party is thinking. Here we have more sniping about yet another issue, no constructive thinking, and an assumption that people are listening. The polls are awful, they have a Leader who nobody wants as Leader, and they look like being out of government for three terms minimum. John Howard wrecked the Liberal Party by refusing a new leader the opportunity of Prime Ministership, the damage is severe, and rebuilding is necessary. Instead of facing that fact, they appear in denial, deluding themselves that the next Liberal Prime Minister will be Mr Turnbull. The whole strategy is around negativisim and attack. The Liberals need a long term strategy, not a short term one. The longer they put that off, the worse the next election result will be, and the longer they will be in the political wilderness. The sniping negativisim is only likely to damage the sniper.

Barbara says:

09:52am | 15/10/09

Mark B -  as Mark commented, you Rudd lovers are starting to sound desperate. Not enough bad headlines for Turnbull this week for you mate. How dare Rudd be questioned about any decisions he has made.

Gerry says:

09:56am | 15/10/09

Mark B, what a pathetic desperate comment! Change the subject and talk about Turnbull and the opposition, nice try but it doesn’t have anything to do with border protection policy. Give us a comment we haven’t heard a thousand times before.

John A Neve says:

10:24am | 15/10/09

What a sad indictment on us and our country, the bulk of the posts on this site are.
The problem of “boat people” has been with us for years and based on all the avaliable information will be with us for many more. It’s has continued irrespective of the government in power, so is above politics.

But sadly most posters here seem intent on talking about Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum. Try talking about the issue people and how you think it can be fixed.

Helena says:

10:26am | 15/10/09

In Kevin Rudds interview he looked like he was going to smack somone in the mouth if they asked a question he didn’t want to hear. Quite funny really, if it weren’t such a seroius issue.

watty says:

10:27am | 15/10/09

I tend to disagree with Scott Morrison.

Rudd has very clear cut ideas about how to treat who he referred to as “illegal migrants”

He gives the Indonesian Government the funding to build a new detention camp in Indonesia.

He approves a furthe $8 million to the Indonesian Government to assist in monitoring the arrival and departure of ‘illegal migrants” on and from Indonesia.

He suggests that the Indonesian is at his behest whilst the Indonesian Government deny this.

Any further criticism from Rudd or his Ministers of the Howard “Pacific Solution” should be met with derision as their “Indonesian Solution” is even worse.

No wonder “Mr Cool” lost the plot with these pesky journalists started to ask unscripted questions.

Les says:

10:33am | 15/10/09

Mr Rudd does what he does best -> appears to get angry and lash out. It creates the illusion of someone in charge and taking control, in reality it is about hiding the fact that so far he hasn’t got a winning game plan for this country.

Wendy says:

10:35am | 15/10/09

I think it is very sad that refugees are tricked by the boat smugglers into thinking Australia is now a soft option to go to, And I think we should have tougher border protection policy. (not the Howard Government Policy). But it is a difficult call for anyone in Government. It does appear the current policy is attracting refugees. What to do, I don’t know.

Mel says:

10:42am | 15/10/09

Yes dear Mr Rudd looked quite uncomfortable and scared of what questions he was going to be asked, standing in front of his HEALTH sign again. Had a look of disbelief and anger that a reporter could dare to throw an unscripted question at him.

watty says:

10:45am | 15/10/09

“One wonders what the Liberal Part is thinking” says Mark B.

Who really cares about what the Liberal Party is thinking about who Rudd referred to as “illegal immigrants”?

In case you didn’t notice the Liberal Party nor even the Coalition is in Governement..

Most of us from all sides of politics would like to get a handle on what Rudd is thinking. about the increase in arrivals in Australian waters

About all we really know is that t Prime Minister he has replaced the Howard “Pacific Solution” with the Rudd “Indonesian Solution.

Perhaps you consider this a step in the right direction?

watty says:

10:52am | 15/10/09

Quite a shock to the Rudd system Mel.

No doubt Rudd will accuse the erring journalist and his employer of belonging to the “Right Wing media” as he referred to the “Australian” newspaper when asked a question about his beloved ETS.

Frazzled best describes the appearance of our Kevin when asked a question without notice.

Vince says:

11:01am | 15/10/09

I can’t believe Rudd plans to take demountables that came from Baxter and then was given to the aboriginal community in Alice Springs to house refugees on Christmas Island? He can’t even put a roof over these indiginous Australians heads! Now he’s taking roofs from them to house “illegal Immigrants” (his term). He should be ashamed! And all so he doesn’t break his promise of not processing any “illegal Immigrants” on Australias mainland.

haggis says:

11:05am | 15/10/09

Who is this wonderfully objective intellectual giant, Mark B?

Kelley says:

11:11am | 15/10/09

Rudd is so consumed by himself that he has the hide to organise the turn around of a boat of 200 refugees desperate to get to our shores. All because Christmas Island would not be able to house them and so he wouldn’t want to break an election promise and bring them to the mainland. At the depriment of refugees. Are you the true humanitarian you claim and spruke about Mr Rudd?

Mr Pastry says:

11:37am | 15/10/09

It was great to see his forehead sweat profusely and a visible squirm,  seemed he had never been in the position of having to answer an awkward question, which is a reflection on our current journalist stocks.  All you journalists please take note of this fine questioning as it is exceedingly good sport.
BTW Mr Rudd “fine words butter no parsnips”

Zeta says:

11:41am | 15/10/09

Don’t get me wrong, I’m so right wing I fly in circles; but isn’t the rhetoric on people smugglers getting out of control? Suddenly, they’re strategic geniuses with their fingers on the pulse of Australian politics, able to time their strikes based on reading the newspaper.

These guys, who must also speak perfect English, and have access to high speed internet with which to watch Four Corners and the 7:30 Report (obviously, people smugglers are socialists, they watch the ABC), monitor Australian politics so closely that they’ve been waiting for a left of centre Government to emerge so they can resume their evil trade in human souls?

What next? Are they able to turn invisible at will and evade the sophisticated radar of our Naval patrol boats? Do these evil geniuses live in a hollowed out volcano in South East Asia, attended to by robotic slaves? Will they next attempt to teleport refugees directly into the living rooms of Working Families (tm)? Or build a device to alter weather patterns, so that their rickety fishing boats can ride to Australian shores on enourmous, mind controlled Tsunamis?

If they’re so smart, Scott, why is that insist on using old, beaten up fishing boats that inevitably explode when the Navy looks at them? Is this all a ruse, while the real people smuggling super villains glide harmless under the waves aboard submarines?

People smugglers are not geniuses. They are poor opportunists. Personally, that poor people in third world countries turn their hand to smuggling refugees instead of drugs, guns and sex slaves affirms my faith in humanity. But regardless, they’re not rocket scientests. They’re poor fisherman.

So Kevin Rudd, like John Howard before him, is being beaten by poor fishermen in rickety boats. It’s not a matter of them being smarter, it’s a matter of us being stupid as to engage in this phony war on ‘illegal immigration’ in the first place.

Alex M says:

11:49am | 15/10/09

How is it that other countries in the world receive up 20 times more asylum seekers or illegal immigrants than Australia and it is not used as political football as it is here making headlines as if we are being invaded by aliens from another planet.  In fact in those countries the emphasis is on humanitarian aid and not scaremongering. As a parent I would walk over hot coals if it meant I could take my child away from harm, even risking my luck on a leaky boat, if it means that I have spared a bullet to mine or my child’s head. You are all heartless people who would not be screaming if they were boatloads of white people from South Africa or Zimbabwe… because they are of the same kind.  After all most illegals in Australia are people including New Zealanders and British nationals who have arrived by plane and have overstayed their visas, yet I don’t hear the same angst about these people. Yet we hear about 2000 arrival in one year. IWhy don’t all of you just accept the fact that is how you feel and stop hiding behind official figures and reports.  It doesn’t matter what international numbers say, because they always used by people like Scott Morrison to justify their own agenda.  I hope your children sleep well tonight, because a lot won’t for no other reason other than geography.

acker says:

12:05pm | 15/10/09

Perhaps a pre-condition on any asylum claim that they must live in a rural area of the governments choosing for the first 5 years they are here, or there visa will be withdrawn and they will be sent back to their native country unconditionaly.

I wonder if Australia will look so inviting with that rule.

Sloth says:

12:06pm | 15/10/09

Could the Minister for Cook please explain when, precisely, the Liberal Party is going to articulate a coherent policy on this issue? Because “be tougher” is the same empty rhetoric you’re assusing the Prime Minister of slinging. Oh for the life of a modern Opposition; to carp and complain and snipe the government without offering the public an alternative solution, that is a reason to vote differently. It’s as though oppositions in this country immediately forget that they’re supposed to be a viable alternative government, and start acting like they’re the Greens.

One presumes, Mr Morrison, that you want our vote. Well, it’s quite a simple process; articulate a policy we can judge. If it’s better than the other guy’s we’ll give you a shot. What is your policy? Or, as your own leader charges, are you a party with no ideas? The party with nothing to say, who’d never let a policy get in the way of a good wedge?

Mr Morrison, the swing voters of this country are waiting. What is your alternative?

watty says:

12:07pm | 15/10/09

Ale M I presume you have heard of the"illegals” camp in Calais chock full of people desperate to reach the social nirvana in Great Britain.

These people have traversed many European countries but recognise the weak link in the chain as do our people smugglers to the North of us.

Please don’t tell me that via internet,fax, phone the people smugglers are not aware of the changes made by the Rudd Government which makes access to Australian soil much much easier.

I presume you also agree with the issue of permanent visas without any security checks issued by the Rudd Governemnt.?

There are legal ways to immigrate to Australia and they should be enforced as should those who overstay their visas be souhgt out and deported.

Zeta says:

12:24pm | 15/10/09

@ Alex M - I think the reason we aren’t as accepting of refugees in this country is that we’re an isolated island in the middle of no where that’s never had the same pressures of global exodus put upon us.

Israel’s list of the ‘Righteous Among Nations’ includes no Australians. It’s not like we have a culture of including refugees in our society forged through war. When we did accept an influx of ‘refugees’ in the late 40s and 50s, it was purely self serving. We needed the labour to build a dam. Then we let them stay, because we needed to breed. There was no altruism there. Before the second World War, we only allowed immigration to help us pull gold out of the ground. All this, from a country of settlers. This attitude, which has permeated our culture, is really quite disturbing.

In Northern Europe, even ultra conservative political movements are accepting of refugees because it’s ingrained in their culture. In the last 2 centuries, the European population has been transient as a result of wars and the persecution of minorities. Australia has never had these pressures, and was always distant enough from them to be ambivelent. In a way, the current situation is a result of increased globalisation. When my grand father came to Australia from Greece, all he knew about Australia is that their soldiers wore funny hats. It’s not like he could turn on a television and watch Neighbours.

It’s just that we’re so damn attractive to the rest of the world. A peaceful country of opportunity. We’re what the United States was a century ago. But unlike the United States, we’ve never had a leader who said ‘give us your hungry, your poor’. We have leaders who say ‘give us your doctors, your accountants, but keep your poor because we don’t really like them’.

From a conservative perspective, we have a moral obligation to accept refugees and socialise them. I beleive we have a moral obligation to export freedom and western democracy to those nations that reject it, even down the barrell of a gun if necessary. But it’s quicker and easier to simply bring those people we’re freeing overseas to our own country, and have them see the wonders of western civilisation first hand. The biggest patriots I know are all immigrants. Take a walk through Chinatown in Sydney’s CBD and talk to restaurant owners. Those guys would bleed blue to make sure our flag’s color’s stay bright. It takes time, sure. And it’s easy to demonise those first generation immigrants that haven’t quite embraced the glory of freedom and democracy. But they will, and their children will. If they don’t, we reserve the right to send them home. But we should not preclude them from having the opportunity to embrace us. If Western Culture is to remain the dominant paradigm on planet Earth, we have to let them in, give them vegemite sandwiches, utes, and football. And eventually, they’ll become just as xenophobic and insular as the rest of us.

I had this great Iraqi cabbie a couple of days ago who told me how he brought his family out in a boat. He then went on to tell me how the Australian Government needs to make sure they don’t let any of those Sudanese people into the country. He was listening to Alan Jones on the radio. That’s the system working.

Being a racist, talkback addicted Australia is so awesome, everyone deserves to become one.

Cameron Price-Austin says:

12:59pm | 15/10/09

Why is it that when Rudd was trotting out the ‘global push forces’ line, no journalist saw fit to investigate asylum seeker data over the past 5-10 years? They could have thrown up a graph refuting his claims.

What good are journalists if they’re simply going to regurgitate the sound bytes vomited out by the Labor party?

michael says:

01:04pm | 15/10/09

The Rudd Government obviously doesn’t know what to do about the situation and now some commenters here seem to think lets blame the opposition because they don’t have a policy on it. UM sorry guys being in Government means it’s your job to fix the mess, the opposition are there to keep the Government accountable.

Paul says:

01:08pm | 15/10/09

Can we talk about the other illegal immigrants please. Y’know those that overstay their visa

Betelnut says:

01:32pm | 15/10/09

Hey Scott,

“The question is not what would the Opposition do, we’re not in Government. “

Given a federal election is less than 12 months away, could you give us an approximate timeframe of when any relevant polices wil be finalised and announced?  I would like to know when to start paying attention.

Carl Palmer says:

01:32pm | 15/10/09

I bet everyone this morning locked their door and made sure the windows were closed before we all went off to work or off to whatever it was that we wanted to do. We all wanted to make sure our home was secure. If we are at home, we don’t take kindly to people trying to enter via the window, roof or for that matter trying to damage a door to gain access to our home. If they do, it is a violation and the police are called. If the person is a stranger, they are only allowed in when invited. There is typically one way in and one way out.  If the stranger is in genuine need, then we are more than happy to help in whatever way we can provide they enter via the front door.

Australia is my home and I want my government to make sure my home is secure. I want the government to take a very dim view of anyone attempting to enter my home other than thru the front door. I want the government not to take kindly to people trying to enter my home unless they are invited. In my home there is only one way in and one way out. If the stranger is in genuine need, then I am more than happy to help in whatever way I can provide they enter via the front door.

Todd says:

01:43pm | 15/10/09

Maybe Scott Morrison should stop writing articles for The Punch and write a policy instead!

roger murchie says:

01:50pm | 15/10/09

Finally Rudd & co have been put in a position that they will have to actually do something as opposed to just putting spin on it. They cannot bury this one like the N.T housing disaster,or the apparently self detonating illegal emmigrant boat of the recent past.Bullshiit will ,in the end ,be no substitute for the ability to govern sucessfully.If the Teflon Man & his inner circle does not think this is a defining moment he is sadly( & badly) ill informed.

Nell says:

02:02pm | 15/10/09

Alot of people seem to short memories. Can anyone tell me what Labors policy’s on anything were 12 - 18 months out from the last election?????or for that matter 11 years before the last election.

Julia says:

02:12pm | 15/10/09

I found it funny that the PM poo poo-ed an inquiry. I laughed so hard I nearly choked. He probably can’t find anyone to conduct it, they’re all busy with his inquiries.

Charles says:

02:19pm | 15/10/09

Oh you’re being a tad harsh, Scott.  He has AN idea, that is to get the countries that lie between Australia & the point of origin to lay-up the boat & its human cargo.

Now what might happen if & when Indonesia & others stop doing this, who knows - does Kevin?

Alex M says:

02:23pm | 15/10/09

@Carl Palmer, why don’t we have a more hysterical reaction to all those who have overstayed their visas in this country. All the attention is diverted to the boat arrivals. It is easier to demonise these helpless dark skinned people. No mention of possible white faced criminals, drug trafickers or peadophiles from places more familiar like New Zealand or the UK that may be in our community. The amount of press and hysteria is remarkable. This is being driven by the Australian and the rest of the Rupert media organisation. The Australian has graphs, maps and statistics all designed to promote hysteria in the community.  To make people feel insecure and that they need to lock down, because there are these aliens on their doorstep, even though most of them are on an island thousands of miles off shore.  Talkback is going to be busy for a weeks and the shock jocks are going to be reminiscing about the good old Tampa days again! Don’t forget to lock your doors tonight just incase a leaky boat arrives on your doorstep!! Wait for the mandatory comment by Pauline Hanson who will again launch her political career.

Natz says:

03:04pm | 15/10/09

From what I can ascertain, the number of arrivals has diminished, although slightly (226,069 vs 226,857). And while the numbers of boats hitting our shores is zero, so is the number of lives lost while out navy watched, the number of lies about children overboard and the chances of malcolm turnbull ever becoming prime minister. And as for this ‘problem’ of immigration, last time I looked our economy was outperforming the rest of the world. And Australia has always relied on immigration for population growth since WWII to maintain its economic strength. Remember that next time you fire up the LCD screen Scotty.

Martin says:

03:37pm | 15/10/09

Ten years ago the Kosovo war created one million refugees. This year a quarter of a million people have been displaced by the Sri Lankan civil war. The difference is that refugees from Kosovo weren’t going to bypass western democracies like Germany to reach Australia. For Tamils fleeing Sri Lanka, Australia is a much more likely place to aim for.

But since when has the Coalition ever let facts get in the way of attacking refugees. The dog whistle is back and judging by the comments on this page it’s working

Shane From Melbourne says:

03:42pm | 15/10/09

@Alex M- The Trans Tasman Travel arrangement allows New Zealanders to live and work in Australia indefinitely. Sorry, by definition they can’t be illegal immigrants. Now if you would like to discuss whether the treaty should be repealled or not, that’s a seperate issue. Also worthy of discussion are the thousands of pseudo foreign students that study bs subjects in australia just to qualify for australian permanent residency. Why doesn’t the government cut out the middle man and sell permanent residency status to the students?

Mark B says:

03:43pm | 15/10/09

Barbara and Gerry 9.50am. I can assure you that I am not “desperate” in stating what is obvious from the polls; the Liberal Party is in fairyland with a dud leader. Meanwhile Australia has a conservative government that, in the best traditions of Westminster Government, takes the advice of its public service. The public service are the people the Liberals ignored when Mr Howard blew $314 billion of windfall income from the mining boom. The highly respected Dr Henry is the guy the Liberals ignored with their reckless pork barrelling to keep Mrs Howard ensconced in Kirribilli, and this week they’re claiming Dr Henry is partisan, because the Government takes his advice!  Fortunately the highly respected Mr Stevens was there to keep the brakes on so Australia remained better protected from the looming economic disaster. I assume the Liberals realise that a referendum to change our system of government would fail, but if they continue to ignore the protocols, they will stay in the wilderness a long time, or more likely fall apart altogether after the next election wipe-out. I have some news for the Liberals. Since Mr Rudd became Leader of the Labor Party, he has significantly outpolled the three Liberal leaders he has so far despatched. I doubt that would have been the case if the dumb-arse, forelock tugging sycophants surrounding Mr Howard had given the selfish old fool the shove and put Mr Costello in the top job. Had that happened, you would likely still be to the right of the Speaker. And who exactly is “desperate” now? The boy who would be King, that’s who; together with the village idiots who are keeping him there. I never thought I would see the day when I concluded that “Iron Bar” Tuckey was making sense. It’s the Liberal supporters who are dismayed, not the Labor supporters.

Kalia says:

04:00pm | 15/10/09

Gee, the Lib and Turnbull suporters don’t need any help with Mark B around LOL

Me says:

04:07pm | 15/10/09

It’s good to actually see some reasonable comments on here, not the usuall “SENd the BoatS back thEy are MuslIms!1”!111!!” That you usally see all over News Ltd sites.

It’s a shame that the media’s and the opposition’s solution to this problem is to whip up xenophobia instead of comming up with real solutions.

Janelle says:

04:19pm | 15/10/09

Mark B - the issue here is about boat arrivals or didn’t you look at the topic heading? Have a lie down buddy and take your medication.

Penny says:

04:25pm | 15/10/09

“Kevin Rudd has no idea what he’s doing on boat arrivals”
I agree!

Carl Palmer says:

05:05pm | 15/10/09

@Alex M 02:23pm | 15/10/09
What you are bumbling on about, HYSTERICAL REACTION - you should reread your post, I was actually concerned for your health. LROL

How you navigated yourself to say “being driven by the Australian and the rest of the Rupert media organisation” and then “graphs, maps” and then “white faced criminals….. Paedophiles “and then “aliens” and then and then - is bizarre but impressive. You missed adding something about the Collingwood Football club, ocean racing and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Seriously - Alex M thanks for your concern but I actually leave the windows and doors open at night – I love the cool breeze. My bet still stands though - tomorrow morning everyone will lock their door and windows before they stroll off to work.

I’ve got an idea!!  I’ll go and have a beer my neighbour tonight and suggest that when he goes off to work tomorrow morning that he leave the front AND back door open all day just for fun and if he does I’ll give him $100 tomorrow night. I wonder what his response will be. 

Cheers

Brian B says:

05:46pm | 15/10/09

Problem is that Kevin has outspun himself on this one.
Politically, softening Howard’s successful policy seemed like a good idea in the election campaign.
Now it’s not working he cannot bring himself to admit error and reinstate tough border protection.
Unfortunately for Australia, his whole approach to Government is arrogant and all-knowing.

Kym Durance says:

05:59pm | 15/10/09

I have yet to read a reason why people are so afraid of a small increase in the arrival of people by boat - I do see the faux concern about their safety and references to outrageous prices they allegedly pay ( beats why they dont fly in at that price or book passage on the Queen Mary ) but what would I know - this is then usually couple with assertions that they take jobs, places in schools, breath our air and change our “way of life”

- none of these issues I really care about by the way

- but when the facts are known - that is most people yearning to share in our wealth and prosperity fly in - why arent the some protectionists insisting upon a brown shirted mob of enforcers chasing up overstayers and packing them back to “fillinin thegap” a stan or where ever they might hail from- seems a strange disconnect to me - these over stayers seem strangely welcome - how come?

Mark B says:

06:18pm | 15/10/09

Janelle, “the message here” is an inept Opposition whinging,whining and sniping about everything because it doesn’t have an original thought in its collective head other than the few like Mr Tuckey who have the guts to speak out. At least he recognises the blunder the Liberals made in not demanding renewal when the lazy good-for-nothings had the chance. Do you really believe anyone is listening to this rabble? The Liberals are up Shit Creek without a paddle, and “Rudderless”.

Philip Crowley says:

07:07pm | 15/10/09

John A Neve, so, how do you think it can be fixed?

Kim says:

08:09pm | 15/10/09

well done to alex m ( 1149 am ) and zeta (1224pm) to be among the apparent minority who deeply question the popularist reactionary line of both major parties on the so called illegal immigrants.  There are others who ask the other basic question - i.e. why don’t we spend as much frothy mouthed effort in pancking about the hordes of illegals who are invading us in economy class?
I suffer under a parallel situation in S.A as both major state leaders fight to the death over who can most demonise the youth criminals in our ranks and be seen as the “toughest” on crime - “little turds"and “pure evil”’ were among the actual recent descriptions made by high level politicians just the other day.
Unfortunately i can only conclude that a country where we act to turn around those who come in boats - arguing that they l :- take our jobs/should have got in to the queue/are islamiic so probably will have terrorists among them/ are somebody else’s problem, not ours thank you very much/are “ïllegals” ( select your emotive red neck response)....is just a basically xenophobic racist place, as much as we like to say how welcoming we are.
Can’t we have some rational civilised discourse on this issue without a pile of fear mongering cliches being emitted from our pollies???

Mark B says:

09:39pm | 15/10/09

Kim, good points, the Liberals foolishly started it, and Labor sadly followed. It is interesting because Mr Turnbull was out today arguing the Government is weak on border protection. Mr Rudd was out making “no apologies”. The Wentworth electorate would not be supportive of Mr Turnbull’s approach I suggest, and typical Labor voters would not be happy with Mr Rudd’s stand. So it is likely to be a rush to the bottom and in both cases, leaving their constituents behind. Such is the desperation for sound bites, on both sides.

Nick says:

10:11pm | 15/10/09

Scott is implying that those countries that are not signatories to this UN convention do not take refugees and are somewhat lax in their responsibilities - this is a flaw premise and somewhat is incorrect - most if not all of those countries do take refugees, in far greater numbers than we do in some instances - just google “thailands refugee program” and see for yourself - Thailand had over 117,000 in 2005, same with Malaysia and you’ll see quotes like “500,000 to 800,000 undocumented workers” - numbers which would certainly cause far more alarm if they were here.  The US had 379,000, UK 303,000, China 301,000 -  at the other end of the scale Spain, New Zealand and Brazil between 3500 and 5500.
Let’s not muddy the waters , the fundamental question is whether Australians want a strict refugee and border protection program or a relaxed one.

Carl Palmer says:

04:06pm | 16/10/09

@Alex M 02:23pm | 15/10/09

I can’t repeat word for word what my neighbour said to me last night – he didn’t think it was a good idea

Wayne H says:

04:53pm | 16/10/09

Lighten up a bit…..
A beautiful fairy appeared one day to a destitute refugee claimant outside the Parramatta Immigration Offices in Macquarie Street.
‘My good man,’ the fairy said, ‘I’ve been told to grant you three wishes, since you’ve just arrived in Sydney, Australia with your wife and seven children.’
The man told the fairy: ‘Well, in Somalia where I come from we don’t have good teeth, so I want new teeth, maybe a lot of gold in them.’
The fairy looked at the man’s almost toothless grin and—PING!!! He had a brand new shining set of gold teeth in his mouth!
‘What else?’ asked the fairy, ‘two, more wishes, to go’.
The refugee claimant now got bolder.
‘I need a big house with a three car garage in Castle Hill with eight bedrooms for my family and the rest of my refugee relatives who still live in my country. I want to bring them all over here.
PING! - In the distance there could be seen a beautiful mansion with a three car garage, a long driveway, a walkout patio with a BBQ, and a sparkling inground pool and a Hummer, full of his nephews playing their music.
‘One, more wish, left for you’, said the fairy, waving her wand.
I want to be Australian with Australian clothes instead of rags, and a baseball cap instead of this shawl and I want to have white skin like the Australians.’
PING! - The man was transformed, wearing worn out jeans from Best for Less, a dirty K-Mart T-shirt and a greasy Billabong baseball cap.  He had his bad teeth back and the mansion had disappeared from the horizon.
‘What happened to my new teeth?’ he wailed.  ‘Where is my new house? Where’s my Centrelink Gold Card?’
The fairy said ‘Tough luck. Now that you are Australian, you’re entitled to f*** all!!!!’      And she disappeared!

And the moral is… Don’t know really, maybe KRUDD was the fairy…

anna says:

03:07pm | 01/11/09

lighten up Wayne H and maybe you won’t be a racist anymore