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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Boat Discussion
- Thread starter Rosy
- Start date
From the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) facebook page:
Scott Morrison is refusing to renew the Bridging Visas of all asylum seekers in the community who've come by boat. Forcing thousands to become illegal. We know first hand at the ASRC of hundreds who have lost their employment & Medicare because of this.
Scott Morrison is refusing to renew the Bridging Visas of all asylum seekers in the community who've come by boat. Forcing thousands to become illegal. We know first hand at the ASRC of hundreds who have lost their employment & Medicare because of this.
It is really interesting, and saddening, to read the difference in priorities between the major parties, but on the processing of asylum applications, I think both sides have stunk it up pretty badly for way too long!
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison slams rejection of reintroduction of temporary protection visas
The parties Labor and the Greens teamed up on Monday night to pass a disallowance motion in the Senate, 36 votes 26, to quash the controversial visas.
The Abbott government reintroduced temporary protection visas via regulation in October as a key plank of its hardline Operation Sovereign Borders policy aimed at discouraging asylum seeker boat journeys.
It must now wait for six months to reintroduce regulation of the same substance.
Mr Morrison attacked the move, telling ABC radio on Tuesday morning that Labor had ''repeated one of their worst mistakes in government''.
''Over five-and-a-half years ago they abolished temporary protection visas, and in the wake of that over 50,000 people turned up on over 800 boats, including over 8000 children,'' he said.
''There were more than 1100 deaths at sea, and over those five-and-a-half years the Labor Party has learnt nothing about their border failures.''
During debate on the visas on Monday night, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said that the government's cruelty should not harm the hearts of people who had suffered so much already.
''No longer will these refugees have to live in limbo,'' she said.
''These visas never worked as a deterrent, they only punished the most vulnerable.''
Assistant Minister for Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash said that if Labor supported the motion it proved they stood for nothing more than ''promulgating the people smugglers' business model''.
''The choice for the opposition is very clear,'' she said, before going on to attack the previous Labor government's ''disastrous legacy'' on asylum seeker boat arrivals.
Labor frontbencher Kim Carr told the chamber Labor supported the motion because the visas could result in further tragedies.
''TPVs act as a magnate for women and children . . . such is the desperation of people seeking to be reunited with their loved ones,'' Senator Carr said, explaining that the visas removed scope for family reunions.
The temporary visas were used during the Howard government era. They gave refugees protection for up to three years and banned them from applying for permanent protection. The visas also prohibited family reunions.
Labor abolished the visas in August 2008.
In a statement after the vote on Monday, Mr Morrison said that the backlog of asylum seekers waiting to be issued with visas under Labor's system would not be settled by the Coalition.
''We will be keeping our promise to deny permanent residence to those who arrived illegally by boat, whether they turned up three months ago or three years ago.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/immigration-minister-scott-morrison-slams-rejection-of-reintroduction-of-temporary-protection-visas-20131203-2ympr.html#ixzz2mMhQyZb9
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison slams rejection of reintroduction of temporary protection visas
The parties Labor and the Greens teamed up on Monday night to pass a disallowance motion in the Senate, 36 votes 26, to quash the controversial visas.
The Abbott government reintroduced temporary protection visas via regulation in October as a key plank of its hardline Operation Sovereign Borders policy aimed at discouraging asylum seeker boat journeys.
It must now wait for six months to reintroduce regulation of the same substance.
Mr Morrison attacked the move, telling ABC radio on Tuesday morning that Labor had ''repeated one of their worst mistakes in government''.
''Over five-and-a-half years ago they abolished temporary protection visas, and in the wake of that over 50,000 people turned up on over 800 boats, including over 8000 children,'' he said.
''There were more than 1100 deaths at sea, and over those five-and-a-half years the Labor Party has learnt nothing about their border failures.''
During debate on the visas on Monday night, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said that the government's cruelty should not harm the hearts of people who had suffered so much already.
''No longer will these refugees have to live in limbo,'' she said.
''These visas never worked as a deterrent, they only punished the most vulnerable.''
Assistant Minister for Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash said that if Labor supported the motion it proved they stood for nothing more than ''promulgating the people smugglers' business model''.
''The choice for the opposition is very clear,'' she said, before going on to attack the previous Labor government's ''disastrous legacy'' on asylum seeker boat arrivals.
Labor frontbencher Kim Carr told the chamber Labor supported the motion because the visas could result in further tragedies.
''TPVs act as a magnate for women and children . . . such is the desperation of people seeking to be reunited with their loved ones,'' Senator Carr said, explaining that the visas removed scope for family reunions.
The temporary visas were used during the Howard government era. They gave refugees protection for up to three years and banned them from applying for permanent protection. The visas also prohibited family reunions.
Labor abolished the visas in August 2008.
In a statement after the vote on Monday, Mr Morrison said that the backlog of asylum seekers waiting to be issued with visas under Labor's system would not be settled by the Coalition.
''We will be keeping our promise to deny permanent residence to those who arrived illegally by boat, whether they turned up three months ago or three years ago.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/immigration-minister-scott-morrison-slams-rejection-of-reintroduction-of-temporary-protection-visas-20131203-2ympr.html#ixzz2mMhQyZb9
what a horrible policy. i get the need for deterrence, but no future asylum seekers will ever settle in Australia (which i believe is the policy of both the Libs & Labour) how is punishing those already here helping?
Azza said:
Abbott and his cronies have always had a nasty streak, I actually think they were handpicked for this very reason. To me, the LNP have stooped to a new low, Malcolm Fraser would be deeply upset at what the party has now become.
bullus_hit said:
Fraser was outspoken about the fact that the Australian Liberal party's roots were not in conservatism last year IIRC. To hear a PM and leader of his party use the term openly would be distressing for him I reckon.
Why not execute everyone who arrives on a boat?
That will act as a deterrent as well
The lucky country is in full transition to the nasty country.
That will act as a deterrent as well
The lucky country is in full transition to the nasty country.
KnightersRevenge said:
Those of us old enough to remember the 1970's version of Fraser will recognise he's not the same as the 2013 version.
In the 70's he was lampooned by the Left to an extent that both Gillard and Rudd should be grateful they didn't receive the same treatment from the Right during the past 6 years. Fraser was seen - correctly - as a rampant Right Winger.
But today he's either a leopard or a chameleon.
IMO like Hawke and Keating, he should just recognise his lack of relevance and shut up.
Former leaders who stay away from the limelight - Beasley, Howard, Nelson - are to be admired. The others suffer from relevance deprivation.
2c.
antman said:
Yep, Johnny has been particularly vocal in his unfettered support for Abbott the understudy. His comments regarding climate change have been grossly irresponsible and are entrenching our reputation as an environmental pariah.
poppa x said:
Agree for the most part but on the issue of asylum seekers, Fraser has always been a progressive. His humanitarian approach to Vietnamese boat people was admirable and I believe has been vindicated with many making positive contributions to Australian society. This is something that rarely gets a mention these days, the process of dehumanising anyone who dares seek asylum on a boat has reached fever pitch. I actually wonder if any of those barking the loudest even know any genuine refugees, because I'm sure if they bothered to investigate, they would find that most are actually highly resourceful and compassionate people.
poppa x said:
You are quite right I wasn't around but I have seen file footage. It always seems to me that the political ground has been sliding to the right consistently so perhaps by comparison Fraser has stayed where he was and it's Canberra that moved? I agree I think past PM's ought to stay away from the game but Gillard beckoned Hawke to try to bolster her appeal so that gave Howard a free shot I reckon. I think King Paul would love to have a higher public profile but he is still on the nose.
bullus_hit said:
Fraser was always a wet, but the left could never forgive him for his part in Whitlam's dismissal. He inherited a government finance system in a shambles and not surprisingly for the times took an anti-employment, fiscally tight monetary policy, with young Johnny H as his treasurer. Although the Whitlam government ended the last vestiges of the White Australia Policy Fraser was the one who openly welcomed immigration from countries other than Europe.
In the 70s we took around 200,000 refugees from Vietnam and elsewhere and amazingly the fabric of society didn't collapse.
I can imagine that our leaders, including Tony Abbott, will be falling over themselves to tell us the world has lost a good, compassionate man in Nelson Mandela. On the other hand they are determined to oversee harsh, unjust treatment of the downtrodden refugees arriving on our shores. I am stunned by the cruel hypocrisy of most of our polititians. Power is all that matters to most of them.
Malcolm Fraser has grown in stature as a spokesman for human rights since his retirement from politics. He was the founding chairman of CARE Australia and seems to have been heavilly influenced by the work his daughter Phoebe, who was an aid worker for CARE in Africa.
Despite having been a fan of Gough's at the time of the 'Dismissal', I now have huge admiration for the integrity of Malcolm Fraser.
He is a good, decent man.
Malcolm Fraser has grown in stature as a spokesman for human rights since his retirement from politics. He was the founding chairman of CARE Australia and seems to have been heavilly influenced by the work his daughter Phoebe, who was an aid worker for CARE in Africa.
Despite having been a fan of Gough's at the time of the 'Dismissal', I now have huge admiration for the integrity of Malcolm Fraser.
He is a good, decent man.
Living in Asia for the past 16 years l think the govt are doing a reasonable job but more needs to be done to KEEP the boats out .I say this with knowledge on how Asian's and work believe me l know probably more than most Australians do in this matter . No other country WILL allow refugees to come with out the proper papers, try landing in Singapore and see what happens .We are a SOFT touch they know when they get here they have rights , and when they do land their on the phone back home to say they have landed so come on over also .... Its a big problem to solve but Australia needs to stay away from a free ride , pity our polly's don't do the same with the dole thief's in this country.
My 2 cents worth ....
My 2 cents worth ....
I don't think they've anywhere near lived up to their election promises. There are still boats arriving undetected. Are we doing anything to improve the lot of those who resort to desperate measures or are we only thinking of ourselves? I don't know the answers...but hollow promises and turning a blind eye don't seem much of a solution.
rosy23 said:
In my opinion that while the world suffers with religious, racial, tribal intolerance, greed, cruelty along with the myriad of other problems especially in the "Third World", then Australia will never be able to solve the problem of illegal, legal, desperate, opportunistic etc refugees - it will always be inadequate.
It's also human nature to think of ourselves, to varieing degrees of course, & to turn a blind eye.
The best way to solve the problem is to ensure that everybody's homeland is a place that they can feel safe & live productive lives.
Easey peasey! I wish
True dat TIA. I was not upset when the Abbott Gov't decided to limit media access to information about boats. The boats are not the issue and most Australian media outlets have been rabidly focused on them for too long. I am not a fan of "sovereign borders" or "border security" rhetoric mind you this is not a "security" issue either IMO. You've hit the nail on the head in terms of the real issue at the heart of this. Why are Tamils still fleeing Sri Lanka? Why are Iraqis still fleeing Iraq? Why are Somalis fleeing? Why do they choose to do it through people smugglers? Why do they not have papers? The answers to these questions is where the story is and I doubt it involves terrorism or opportunism on the part of the refugee. More likely distrust of authority (with good reason), fear of persecution (and if your documents reveal you to be of the wrong tribe/religion/ethnicity you falsify them or get rid of them), fear for your family etc.
There is very little the government can do to stop people from coming here. We are the jewel in the south. Far enough away from everyone and a small enough nation to be neither a threat nor a target. We are prosperous and have wide open spaces and good weather. We were built by immigrants so we have a general tolerance of difference. People are going to keep coming. The easy way and the hard way. And in the developing world war lords and religious/tribal zealots will keep creating the conditions that generate refugees. Unfortunately so will misguided American imperialism.
There is one thing we know makes a difference. One thing we can do. Educate the women. (Reducing foreign aid at this time seems a backward step it has to be said) Access to education for women has definite effects in so many areas of a developing society. It is a great place to start and would be a step in right direction. Not through charities (often with religious ties) and NGO's they are a cop out. Foreign aid targetted in right places. Not punitive, listen to Bill Gates talking about this on Q & A. Leadership, not grandstanding.
There is very little the government can do to stop people from coming here. We are the jewel in the south. Far enough away from everyone and a small enough nation to be neither a threat nor a target. We are prosperous and have wide open spaces and good weather. We were built by immigrants so we have a general tolerance of difference. People are going to keep coming. The easy way and the hard way. And in the developing world war lords and religious/tribal zealots will keep creating the conditions that generate refugees. Unfortunately so will misguided American imperialism.
There is one thing we know makes a difference. One thing we can do. Educate the women. (Reducing foreign aid at this time seems a backward step it has to be said) Access to education for women has definite effects in so many areas of a developing society. It is a great place to start and would be a step in right direction. Not through charities (often with religious ties) and NGO's they are a cop out. Foreign aid targetted in right places. Not punitive, listen to Bill Gates talking about this on Q & A. Leadership, not grandstanding.
Cheers KR, you said that far better than I could have & your point about educating women is one that is screamingly obvious when articulated like that. Well done.
Now get to it & fix the world!
Now get to it & fix the world!
