Edited 25 Jun 2013 04:43, 8 years ago, edited by Barrington Womble

Well, I am blaming Julia AND the Labor party because their policies are clearly contributing to the problem.  They were the ones that got rid of mandatory detention, closed down off shore processing and stopped temporary protection visas and in the process sent the signal to the people smugglers and their customers that Australia is open for business if you have a wad of cash in your pocket.  You say Julia wasn't the one who told them to get on the boats...but, you don't think that their policies aren't having some effect on this crisis? Indonesia keeps telling  Australia to take the sugar off the table.

Tell me: How do the Indonesian boat people even know about the policy you speak of? I doubt very much that they even know anything about Australian policies, or even laws. They're simply trying to flee their country as quickly as possible.

What evidence do you have that proves your assertion that Labor's policies are at fault for this supposed rise in boat people making their way here? I want some proof of your claims (cite your sources in other words). You have conveniently side-stepped the fact that A) this has been a problem for years, and B) it only seems to rear it's head when there is a federal election on the way. Not a peep about boat people was heard after the last federal election, or the one before. You seem to also have avoided my reference to the Tampa fiasco - here. I have linked it for you, if you had forgotten (conveniently) about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampa_affair What about the "Children Overboard" political scare-mongering: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_overboard_affair ? You have a very short, and very selective memory.

These people get onto a boat to escape something which is seriously wrong in their country. You say about off-shore processing - this depends on whether or not the Navy pick up on the boat. It's a bit late when they make it to a couple of hundred metres off the shore at Broome. Also, why can't they be processed here? If they fail the tests, then they're on the first plane back to wherever they came from. Those that are found to be genuine cases are granted clemancy to a degree (they're still tracked by government departments for security purposes).

I believe you are drawing a long bow by saying that this issue is only being brought up because of the election, really.  This issue has been festering for the last few years and why shouldn't it be an election issue, after all it is costing everyone a fortune and has major implications for the country not just financially but also for national security and social cohesion.

I'm calling bullsh*t to your claim. Using boat people as an election policy is a way for certain people trying to manipulate votes by using scare tactics. As for your other claim about boat people coming to Australia, and costing us too much money: where is your proof that they are? I want you to cite your sources, and provide concrete proof of how, and not just your word as gospel. Your claims of national security read like one of John Howard's election scare tactics. Refugees are processed, are they not? If they are found to be a risk to security, then they will be sent back to where they came from - simple as that. It won't matter who is in power anyway. Refugees will still try and make their way into Australian waters regardless.

I can't see anywhere where I have been inflammetry apart from referring to Julia as Juliar, because she has clearly lied and misled the public numerous times.  If you hold public office you are open to satire and ridicule-an underpinning fundamental of democracy. What about the names people throw at Abbott and Howard?, and why shouldn't anyone who holds public office be subjected to that no matter what party you represent?, especially if they are clearly doing a bad job.  Yes little Johnny.

So you are telling me that sending genuine refugees back isn't offensive?

Don't try and twist things around. You also forget about John Howard hoodwinking people. No GST. Never ever! You forget that he de-regulated the price of oil to world comparative prices when he was the treasurer for Fraser. He added another tax (GST) onto every other tax we have to pay, plus he is responsible for the stupid prices we now pay at the bowser for fuel. Many people out of the city don't have the luxury of good public transport, and rely on your own car to get you to work, or from point A to point B - it hits you hard in the hip pocket, I can tell you. You seem to forget about both the Tampa, and the Children Overboard Affair - the latter proven to be a total fabrication by John Howard's Liberal Party, so he could scare people into voting for him under a fake security threat...Sounds like a heap of lies so far. The endless kowtowing to the US Government was a total disgrace, and an insult to the people of Australia. Tell me: how much of taxpayers money did he waste on those trips to visit Bush at Camp David? What about the taxpayers money wasted on Peter Reith's phone bills run up by his children?

The Liberals are equally guilty of lying, and mis-spending money from taxpayers. People who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones.

All I am doing is debating the subject, because everyone has different opinions about this topic and good on them, their entitled to their opinion and I will defend their right to it, but just because you think my ignorance is offensive, well that is subjective to say the least because I could say that about you but I refrain.  Don't you think you are being kind of dictatorial in your attitude?

You are not debating. You are simply responding because people have shot your claims to pieces, and you are trying to save face, by attempting to change tact. You have offered nothing in the way of proof for any of your claims, only denigration, and ill-informed claims with zero evidence to back them.

And yes.

If posts are reported because people find them offensive, I do get very dictatorial. It's my job here. So far, you are skating on very, very thin ice.

Edited 25 Jun 2013 04:29, 8 years ago, edited by Barrington Womble

Well, I am blaming Julia AND the Labor party because their policies are clearly contributing to the problem.  They were the ones that got rid of mandatory detention, closed down off shore processing and stopped temporary protection visas and in the process sent the signal to the people smugglers and their customers that Australia is open for business if you have a wad of cash in your pocket.  You say Julia wasn't the one who told them to get on the boats...but, you don't think that their policies aren't having some effect on this crisis? Indonesia keeps telling  Australia to take the sugar off the table.

Tell me: How do the Indonesian boat people even know about the policy you speak of? I doubt very much that they even know anything about Australian policies, or even laws. They're simply trying to flee their country as quickly as possible.

What evidence do you have that proves your assertion that Labor's policies are at fault for this supposed rise in boat people making their way here? I want some proof of your claims (cite your sources in other words). You have conveniently side-stepped the fact that A) this has been a problem for years, and B) it only seems to rear it's head when there is a federal election on the way. Not a peep about boat people was heard after the last federal election, or the one before. You seem to also have avoided my reference to the Tampa fiasco - here. I have linked it for you, if you had forgotten (conveniently) about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampa_affair What about the "Children Overboard" political scare-mongering: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_overboard_affair ? You have a very short, and very selective memory.

These people get onto a boat to escape something which is seriously wrong in their country. You say about off-shore processing - this depends on whether or not the Navy pick up on the boat. It's a bit late when they make it to a couple of hundred metres off the shore at Broome. Also, why can't they be processed here? If they fail the tests, then they're on the first plane back to wherever they came from. Those that are found to be genuine cases are granted clemancy to a degree (they're still tracked by government departments for security purposes).

I believe you are drawing a long bow by saying that this issue is only being brought up because of the election, really.  This issue has been festering for the last few years and why shouldn't it be an election issue, after all it is costing everyone a fortune and has major implications for the country not just financially but also for national security and social cohesion.

I'm calling bullsh*t to your claim. Using boat people as an election policy is a way for certain people trying to manipulate votes by using scare tactics. As for your other claim about boat people coming to Australia, and costing us too much money: where is your proof that they are? I want you to cite your sources, and provide concrete proof of how, and not just your word as gospel. Your claims of national security read like one of John Howard's election scare tactics. Refugees are processed, are they not? If they are found to be a risk to security, then they will be sent back to where they came from - simple as that. It won't matter who is in power anyway. Refugees will still try and make their way into Australian waters regardless.

I can't see anywhere where I have been inflammetry apart from referring to Julia as Juliar, because she has clearly lied and misled the public numerous times.  If you hold public office you are open to satire and ridicule-an underpinning fundamental of democracy. What about the names people throw at Abbott and Howard?, and why shouldn't anyone who holds public office be subjected to that no matter what party you represent?, especially if they are clearly doing a bad job.  Yes little Johnny.

So you are telling me that sending genuine refugees back isn't offensive?

Don't try and twist things around. You also forget about John Howard hoodwinking people. No GST. Never ever! You forget that he de-regulated the price of oil to world comparative prices when he was the treasurer for Fraser. He added another tax (GST) onto every other tax we have to pay, plus he is responsible for the stupid prices we now pay at the bowser for fuel. Many people out of the city don't have the luxury of good public transport, and rely on your own car to get you to work, or from point A to point B - it hits you hard in the hip pocket, I can tell you. You seem to forget about both the Tampa, and the Children Overboard Affair - the latter proven to be a total fabrication by John Howard's Liberal Party, so he could scare people into voting for him under a fake security threat...Sounds like a heap of lies so far. The endless kowtowing to the US Government was a total disgrace, and an insult to the people of Australia. Tell me: how much of taxpayers money did he waste on those trips to visit Bush at Camp David? What about the taxpayers money wasted on Peter Reith's phone bills run up by his children?

The Liberals are equally guilty of lying, and mis-spending money from taxpayers. People who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones.

All I am doing is debating the subject, because everyone has different opinions about this topic and good on them, their entitled to their opinion and I will defend their right to it, but just because you think my ignorance is offensive, well that is subjective to say the least because I could say that about you but I refrain.  Don't you think you are being kind of dictatorial in your attitude?

You are not debating. You are simply responding because people have shot your claims to pieces, and you are trying to save face. You have offered nothing in the way of proof for any of your claims, only denigration, and ill-informed claims with zero evidence to back them.

And yes. If posts are reported because people find them offensive, I do get very dictatorial. It's my job here. So far, you are skating on very thin ice.