If only he had Kevin Rudd before 2007 election

"KEVIN Rudd has taken a tough line on border security, warning that a Labor government will turn the boats back and deter asylum-seekers, using the threat of detention and the nation's close ties with Indonesia.

In an interview with The Australian, the Opposition Leader advocated a layered approach to border security based on "effective laws, effective detention arrangements, effective deterrent posture vis-a-vis vessels approaching Australian waters".

Mr Rudd said Labor would take asylum-seekers who had been rescued from leaky boats to Christmas Island, would turn back seaworthy vessels containing such people on the high seas, and would not lift the current intake of African refugees.

"You'd turn them back," he said of boats approaching Australia, emphasising that Labor believed in an "orderly immigration system" enforced by deterrence."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/rudd-to-turn-back-boatpeople/story-e6frg8yx-1111114943944

The Pacific Solution is the name given to the Australian government policy of transporting asylum seekers to detention centres on island nations in the Pacific Ocean, rather than allowing them to land on the Australian mainland. Implemented during 2001–2007, it had bipartisan support from the Liberal-National government and Labor opposition at the time.

The Australian Defence Force commenced Operation Relex to intercept vessels carrying asylum seekers.

wiki

Maybe we can make a few bob hiring out the Navy to show the weak arsed Euros how it is done..,.,

On Monday more than 3,000 migrants landed in southern Italian ports, including a baby girl born on board the Italian navy patrol ship Bettica.

Up to 30,000 people could die crossing the Mediterranean this year, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in April.

AFP/Reuters

Abbott: Stop the boats, stop deaths at sea

Tony Abbott warns that more people will die unless tougher action on people-­smugglers is taken.
•••
Tony Abbott has warned that more people will die at sea unless tougher action on people-­smugglers is taken across Southeast Asia and North Africa, amid increasingly desperate diplomatic efforts to confront the deepening crisis in the region.

The Prime Minister declared yesterday that stopping the boats was the key to beating people-smugglers, as it emerged the EU was in talks with Tunisia and other African countries to establish an offshore processing operation that took inspiration from Australia’s regime.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have triggered international outrage in the past week by turning away boatloads of desperate Rohingya mig­rants from Myanmar as well as Bangladeshis, at least 14 of whom are believed to have died at sea over the course of the impasse.

The regional standoff comes as the EU is grappling with how to deal with thousands of asylum-seekers fleeing the Middle East and North Africa.

The EU talks centre on setting up transit camps for migrants inter­cepted on the way across the Mediterranean to Europe.

Under the proposals, the rescued migrants would submit asylum claims while living at the camps in Africa, rather than being brought ashore in Italy and elsewhere in southern Europe.

Mr Abbott said he was not aware of EU talks but with hundreds of people drowning and thousands of people attempting a perilous sea crossing from the north of Africa across the Mediterranean, there was an “acute problem … As long as there is people-smuggling, there will be deaths at sea. And the only way to stop the deaths at sea is to stop the boats and that means — I have to say — turning boats around.

“Now the Australian government is prepared to turn boats around, we’ve been able to do it safely and effectively and I am not surprised that other countries are now doing likewise.’’

Senior Australian officials recently briefed 12 EU nations that had sought information on Australia’s border policies.

Asked about the Southeast Asian situation, Mr Abbott said Australia was “only too happy to work with our regional partners to tackle this problem’’. Australia will attend the regional meeting in Bangkok on May 29 with a dele­gation that ­includes the ambass­ador for people-smuggling issues Andrew­ Goledzinowski.

Mr Abbott said he was “in no way critical’’ of regional countries for trying to stop the boats, as the ultimate aim was to break the business model of people-smugglers and, in doing so, save lives at sea.

“Yes, we’ve always got to be humane and we’ve always got to be decent, but in the end we have to stop the boats. And if that means taking more vigorous action on the high seas, if that means taking more vigorous action to uphold the safety at sea closer to Burma and other countries which appear to be the source of this latest surge of boatpeople, so be it.’’ The Prime Minister said he did not apologise for Australia turning back boats and it was “almost absolutely necessary if the scourge of people-smuggling is to be beaten’’.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, is scheduled to travel to Kuala Lumpur this week to meet her Malaysian and Thai counterparts to discuss the surge in boatpeople. Myanmar — which denies the Muslim Rohingya citizenship — has already flagged it will not send a representative to the May 29 regional summit.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry, which has tried with increasing futility to evade the evidence its navy is towing and turning back boats, remained silent yesterday.

The EU talks began when Dimitris Avramopoulos, the member of the European Commission in charge of migration, travelled to Tunisia last week. Other countries that might take part include Morocco, Niger and Nigeria.

The plan was backed by Britain, Italy and Austria with support from Germany and France.

The idea of setting up the camps was raised last month at an EU summit called after more than 700 migrants were killed in a ­single week in the Mediterranean.

Additional reporting: Paige Taylor, Gita Athika, AFP

Pete,

I feel stopping the boats is a short term solution not only in Oz but everywhere.

Pushing back will eventually cause a major boil over which could easily lead us into a world wide conflict which right now I feel is inevitable.

I have no idea what the solution is but just hope there are some about the shop who realise just placing a lid on the problem and sitting on it will not work long term as the problem exists virtually all over the world. People are on the move  world wide for a multitide of reasons.

Our pollies, like most, are all about their jobs and perks and are unable to adress this problem. Where one will find the answers is moot. I feel our children will be the ones who suffer from this lack of ability and foresight.

Take it easy.

SD

Open borders is not the answer.

All that will happen is the problem in their homelands will be shifted elsewhere.  The perceived "land/s of milk and honey"will no longer exist if there is a huge influx of people from third world countries.

I think the only answer is for the UN or whoever to have naval vessels at the ready to tow back to shore any people smuggler vessels as they are departing.  This would avoid loss of life and would eventually break the back of the smuggling trade.

Shaggy, I was  not referring to your post as I know you never suggested Open Borders.  I raised it because there are some in our community who think we should have them.

Of course the root causes have to be addressed but how do you do it when most of these people are coming from war torn countries who have  entirely different culture/s and ethnic groups and in the main uneducated.  The answer lies with the rulers of these countries and quite honestly I dont think there is an answer.  The problems will exist long after you and I have left this mortal coil.

The "west" cannot solve the problems of the world.

Radish,

One can only hope somebody does have the answers as I can see a world conflict in the not too distant future.

The west in many cases is being overtaken by the east and various governments are losing control of the established mores of their societies.

Our children, as I have said, are going to be left with horrific problems. Maybe, just maybe, they will prove to be wiser than us and find a way that has escaped us.

SD

Yes, you are probably quite right about the horrific problems being left behind for them to deal with.