On Asylum Seekers

Like most Australians, I held some hope that the coming Federal Election might have prompted both major parties to look seriously at the problem of asylum seekers and the stream of leaky boats that have been processing towards our northern waters for some time now.


Instead all we heard from both Gillard and Abbott were poll-driven non-solutions that were more about neutralizing the issue rather than solving it.

Gillard’s East Timor Solution, as has been said, is nothing more than Howard’s Pacific Solution moved a 1000 kilometres or so westward. Had Gillard talked it over beforehand with our northern neighbours or New Zealand? Apparently not. What an insult! Fancy dragging our nearest friends into a political storm – and without even asking them!

Abbott said that he’d turn the boats back and reject any illegal immigrant who did not have his or her papers. That may have stopped boats in the past; but will it work now? And, more importantly, is it the right thing to do?

Surely stopping the boats is the primary concern here. Not because we’re heartless; not because we don’t care – but because we do! We need to stop innocent people risking their lives on the ocean, it’s that simple.

Gillard’s solution won’t stop the boats. Those who take such risks to get to Australia won’t be deterred by a detour to East Timor. They’d be processed offshore anyway, so what’s the real difference.

As I said earlier, it’s clear that neither major party really want to deal with the issue. I think it’s particularly cruel and shameful to use these people for political point scoring; but that’s about all that has happened.

The DLP believes that every boat arrival should be flown straight back to Indonesia. Why? Simply because Indonesia was and is a safe haven. It is probably the first safe haven that genuine refugees entered upon leaving their homeland but, most certainly, the last before leaving for Australia.

In short, these people are in reality, Indonesia’s problem. Kevin Rudd, to his credit, recognised this and began financially supporting the Indonesian government towards a more effective intervention.

The DLP would even further assist Indonesia to make sure that all asylum seekers, both those who have left their homeland and those returned from Australian waters, are well treated and processed quickly and properly under the supervision of the UN High Commission for Refugees.

This would stop the boats almost instantly and put those who trade immorally upon people’s emotions by selling them passage to Australia on leaky boats in dangerous seas well and truly out of work.

Some have called these people ‘queue jumpers’. There is clearly a queue. I personally know people who waited for their chance to settle in Australia who endured many years, even decades in refugee camps in Africa and South East Asia. People like these deserve a break too. They can’t jump on a plane to Indonesia, let alone a boat to Australia. I wonder what they would think about those who can afford to take a plane to Indonesia and pay for a boat ride to Australia.

That’s why the DLP would bring two refugees to Australia from other camps for every boat arrival sent back to Indonesia. Once the boats have stopped, and they will under this policy, we can begin accepting those from the Indonesian processing facility.

That’s a real policy to solve a problem.

That’s why the DLP is worth supporting!