Rudd stopped the boats

This is literally all I know about Australian politics.

How did Rudd stop the boats? Moving all the refugees to PNG isn't going to solve anything.

The only way to stop people getting on boats is to process their refugee status in Malaysia and convince other countries to help Australia resettle them.


EDIT: He's saying that refugees who arrive in Australia by boat won't be settled in Australia. I sincerely doubt that will pass a High Court challenge.

I wonder if the court will challenge it.

Yeah, JPEGs take up less space.

*Rimshot*

Um. What's this blog about?

i keep forgetting Ghost doesn't live in Japan.

fraud.

Varrok: Refugees from Iran, Sri Lanka, Somalia, and other places come by boat to Australia. It's only a tiny number compared to the number of refugees on the planet or to the population of Australia, but our politicians know they can use them as a political football.

Lately a few boats have been sinking between Malaysia (which is often where they set off) and Australia. The standard catchphrase from the Right is that they'll Stop The Boats. Depending on context that either means that they'll stop the refugees coming to Australia, or they'll stop them attempting the perilous sea voyage. Either way, both sides of politics are trying to Stop The Boats by treating the refugees harsher and harsher. They're doing that because it's an easier political tactic than standing up and saying "You know what? This is such a minor issue it's not worth arguing about. We're going to treat them humanely because it's the right thing to do, and because it's actually a hell of a lot cheaper than treating them harshly".

Sinking in literal sense or is it a slang term for flowing or something like that?

Literally sinking, with quite a few people dying and lost at sea as a result.

Thank you very much for the explanation. And I suppose they weren't sinking just because of the faulty ships?

A mixture of faulty ships, poor navigation, inexperienced people smugglers, bad weather, difficult oceans, and the hope that if they sink while an Australian navy ship is nearby they'll be saved rather than sent away.

It seems that each time Labor changes leadership they take a few strides to the right.

Pretty much. The irony is that Rudd swore years ago that if he was re-voted in as leader he wouldn't shift to the right on boat arrivals.

Does this mean that The Libs have to start standing up for the rights of Boat People now?

No, I think it means that they have to shift further to the right and start using the boats as navy target practice.