Matter of fact, they don't 'scare' me. (rofl)
I don't give a stuff if they have paperwork or not.
I don't care if they were wealthy or poor in their former lives.
I've been marginally involved with a few refugees going back to 2004 and have found them to be, without exception, empathetic and intelligent people who would make solid citizens.
Due diligence will of course weed out the exceptions … IF they exist!
(Shove any ignorant-dumb-fuck-redneck stereotypes up ya clacker.)
Population pressures?
From a few thousand refugees? (again: rofl)
Let's apply some due diligence to Australian-born citizens.
There's plenty of privileged, whinging local scum we can tow out to sea … hopefully in leaky boats. :)
But (sigh) the chickens of Realpolitik have come home to roost on this issue and, if nothing else, I'm a realist.
Whoever wins the election, offshore 'processing' is going to happen.
So, this being the case, can someone explain to me why Labor is so opposed to using the existing facilities on Nauru?
1. I know it's extremely 'remote' from the mainland: but that would help placate Julia's beloved xenophobes!
2. Nauru wants it. And is willing to sign up to the UN Convention.
[President, Marcus] Stephen has said his country would be willing to sign the convention and expressed interest in reopening the centre, which was built by the Howard government as the centrepiece of its so-called Pacific Solution.3. The multi-million-dollar infrastructure already exists, so why reinvent the wheel?
(a) rollout would only take a month or two, as opposed to years (need more capacity? provide more capacity!);
(b) it's about time Labor took an interest in saving a few million dollars here and there (rather than wasting our money on incompetence), particularly in light of their newly-discovered and wholeheartedly cynical adoption of the warm&fuzzy 'sustainability' mantra.
4. East Timor is a third-world nation with its own problems. Given recent (joint) history and their clear opposition to the plan – plus the facts outlined above – it's a seriously dumb option.
(Which doesn't surprise me a bit, 'cos it fits.)
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* even 'True Believers' can only be pushed so far.
