All asylum seeker advocates have left is Andrew Bolt

Why is Rudd falling in with the opposition’s ‘tough’ line on asylum seekers, especially when for the third consecutive week Labor’s lead is widening still further despite the boat arrivals?  The Poll Bludger
I find it hard to forgive. ( And how will I ever forgive him for making me agree with Andrew Bolt?)
Andrew Bolt calls [...]

Winning the asylum-seeker war of words, part 2

As Stephen asked (see Comments, How to win the war of words about asylum seekers) just how can we turn back the floods of paranoid rhetoric, if numbers and reasoned argument don’t work?
As President Lyndon B. Johnson said “the ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live out [...]

Rudd Government alarmed by asylum seekers

I received a media release from Chris Evans (Minister for Immigration) yesterday. It made me realise that there is a thesis in analysing media releases!
The release announced the first deportations (of two people) from Christmas Island.  The motivation for the release is clear –boats of asylum seekers arriving are by sheet weight of numbers providing [...]

Malaysians do Australia’s dirty-work: Rudd goes to encourage them

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is beginning a week-long overseas trip in Malaysia, where he will hold talks on people smuggling with the Malaysian  Department of Home Affairs.
He and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith “will have very serious conversations about the joint efforts on how to stop it”. People smuggling first on PM’s overseas checklist
Just one day [...]

Safe haven not a solution for Tamils

The United Nations estimates that up to 300 thousand people have been displaced by the fighting. Most of those people are Tamils, an ethnic group that has complained for decades about being discriminated against in Sri Lanka. The Australian government is reportedly worried about a potential influx of Tamil asylum-seekers and has sent officials to [...]