In one of the stranger afternoon Christmas announcements by the Government (see above) late yesterday the office of Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor announced that cruise ships would now be able to visit Christmas Island.

Christmas Island actually looks rather pretty

That’s right, the destination for hundreds of asylum seekers can now be accessed in luxury aboard the Pacific Sun Cruise Ship.

Upon receiving this yesterday The Punch had to make sure that it wasn’t a joke. Check out some of these lines in the release:

“This is an historic moment,” Mr O’Connor said. “Passengers will be able to explore this unique natural paradise and experience the cultural diversity of this remote island.”

According to Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, the Australian Government recognizes the enormous economic contribution tourism makes throughout regional and remote Australia. “Which is why we have upgraded the island’s mooring system and landing facilities to accommodate cruise ships,” Mr Ferguson said.

In all fairness to Christmas Island it actually seems like quite a nice place to visit, it’s just that you’d think the last thing this Government would be doing was advertising that the island’s just improved its mooring facilities.

Not to be out done by the good folks at P&O, Virgin announced that it would flying twice weekly flight to Christmas and Cocos Keeling islands. O’Connor again was on the case straight away:

“I am pleased that Australia’s second largest airline will provide air services to these remote communities, and excited by the potential tourism benefits that this contract could bring to the Island’s economy,” Mr O’Connor said.

Besides the fact that overnight Christmas Island seems to have been blessed with better transport infrastructure than Sydney, I’m surprised P&O and Virgin aren’t offering discount to similarly maligned destinations for the politically conscious.

I wonder what Guantamo Bay is like this time of year?

Most commented

13 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Eric says:

      05:35am | 24/12/09

      Well, it must be a pretty desirable place considering the efforts people make to get there.

    • Tony says:

      06:29am | 24/12/09

      Can I come via Indonesia?

      Yeah?

      Book me a ticket!

    • Diamantina Dick says:

      06:32am | 24/12/09

      Unexceptional

    • T.Chong says:

      06:39am | 24/12/09

      Chrismas Is, along with Cocos/Keeling have been renowned for their natural habitats, fauna and flora.
      The detention centers probably will not be featured on the itinerary, but who knows? Both Alcatraz and Auschwitz draw tourists.
      Some people even like blogging away on Chrissy eve, just shows there is no accounting for taste or time wasting

    • acker says:

      06:57am | 24/12/09

      Quite a good move, and would give the public a bit more of an idea of what goes on their than relying on the often biased opinions of the political self interest groups and media who feed our current veiws on Christmas Island.

      Plus it might help stop Boat people coming if they knew they could do the trip in a bit of style by jumping on the cruise ship in Bali wink

    • zombie says:

      08:00am | 24/12/09

      Will be Ok to disembark their if we’re found not to be refugees? and if we disembark their will it be possible to get a free trip to Canada or New Zealand if we stay for 12 weeks? Do the camping grounds have views? If we stay the full 12 weeks will we get a free house if we take the free trip to Australia?

    • club matt says:

      08:21am | 24/12/09

      Now there’s a cruise that might interest the AFL in light of Carlton’s recent booze cruise debacle.
      Send the whole team there and put them in detention.
      Sound a bit far fetched?

      Sure. But being locked in isolation with people less fortunate might teach them a thing or too.

    • Wheels says:

      08:25am | 24/12/09

      Will it pick up in Sri-Lanka? Or would they have to make their own way to Christmas Island?

    • Dalma Smithy says:

      09:35am | 24/12/09

      For Heaven’s sake - why guano laden Christmas Island ? A bleached coral ridden atoll, with komado lizards, man-eating crabs, and stone-age flora-fauna ? The ends of the Earth surely - like Devil’s Island. It was JWH’s idea of hell-on-earth, to discourage wannabe asylum seekers who want to transgress Howard’s inflexable Immigration Policies. Amanda Vanstone once described it as death’s hell-hole. A god forsaken blot in the middle of nowhere, even her worst enemy should avoid ? Baxter detention was worst. Even the Pom’s Atomic Bomb tests in the 50/60’s didn’t deter her from erecting her razor-wire gulag to house asylum seekers. In semi-desert wilderness, not even Stevy Irwan would entertain protecting the goanna’s from the predatoring Abo’s, who thrive there - no one else but these stalwart nomads in their make shift gunnaghs, would habitate the place. G Bless them.

    • Nicki says:

      09:43am | 24/12/09

      We would love to go there but the Liberal,National Opposition said it was full.
      So we booked our holiday in Bali.
      Thanks to them we have to spend our dollars overseas.
      Very smart move Tony.

    • Peter says:

      11:16am | 24/12/09

      Not really sold on the idea. There is already a way for fans of the whale shark and migratory red crabs to get to Christmas Island. Will the island cope logistically? They just sent 30 afghanis to Melbourne for processing and 35 crew to Darwin,  “because of chronic overcrowding in the detention centre on Christmas Island.”—The Australian 23 December 2009,. 30 Afghan asylum-seekers relocated to Melbourne….  Supplies are already stretched with the 1432 assylum seekers and respective goverment departmental staff on the island. It would be great to hear from someone on the island on their thoughts…

    • Dan says:

      01:29am | 25/12/09

      Eric, refugees make effort to come to Australia and to escape persecution. But, yes, you’re absolutely right, they came because Christmas Island offers such a good quality of life.

    • Formersnag says:

      03:54pm | 26/12/09

      The blind lead the blind & the sheeple blog on.

      Next election try putting the greens last, labour second last, the liberal/ national candidate third last, every true minor party &/or independent candidate ahead of them, then the conservatives, will eventually, get your preference vote, but without, getting the idea that, we are too keen on them either. if 15% to 20% of voters would do that, then there would be no, “safe electorates” & we might get more committed representation.

 

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

ToryShepherd

@Bogans_Heroes @1fatbogan Ha! So Adelaide, so creepy. Gilles St, then Unley, then Pembroke.

Paul Colgan

@joekiely just beat the crus. No sweat eh?

Paul Colgan

@bolgo101 Stick ROG in front of the posts and you still have white knuckles

Paul Colgan

@joekiely how far out was he?

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

The Punch is moving house

The Punch is moving house

Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: Hasbro, go straight to gaol, do not pass go

Tim says:

They should update other things in the game too. Instead of a get out of jail free card, they should have a Dodgy Lawyer card that not only gets you out of jail straight away but also gives you a fat payout in compensation for daring to arrest you in the first place. Instead of getting a hotel when you… [read more]

From: A guide to summer festivals especially if you wouldn’t go

Kel says:

If you want a festival for older people or for families alike, get amongst the respectable punters at Bluesfest. A truly amazing festival experience to be had of ALL AGES. And all the young "festivalgoers" usually write themselves off on the first night, only to never hear from them again the rest of… [read more]

Gentle jabs to the ribs

Superman needs saving

Superman needs saving

Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more

28 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free News.com.au newsletter