Australia would have stooped to a “new low” if reports its navy paid people-smugglers bound for Australia thousands of dollars to turn back their boat are true, an Indonesian government official said on Saturday.

A boat captain and two crew members arrested this week on suspicion of human trafficking told Indonesian police that Australian authorities had paid each of them $US5,000 ($A6450) to turn back their vessel with 65 migrants on board.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-ne ... back-boats

If he paid them a bit more maybe they would bring the refugees directly to Cambodia.

Now an international criminal as prime minister.

Going back to his roots, no doubt.

vladimir wrote:Now an international criminal as prime minister.

Going back to his roots, no doubt.

I think in a democracy the electorate's opinion is what counts... and the Australian electorate are big fans of deportation and anti-immigration. As for Indonesia's opinion? Perhaps they should have listened when Australia asked them not to execute their people earlier on this year?

All governments without exception are criminals in the eyes of somebody. Relative economic might is the only real consideration when taking (or not taking) any action against this...

Yeah, he does have the support of a lot of people, a bit like Hitler back in the day.

However, support may give power, but it doesn't mean it's ethical power.

To trade the lives of a few re-offending, extortionist dealers (who the Aussies outed, remember) in return for Australia sticking to a highly-respected international agreement it pledged to support? It should never even be considered as a trade.

And I think to say all governments are criminals lessens the fact that Abbott is paying people to traffic humans. Nice.

He may even end up encouraging more boats, as now there is a double incentive.

He may even end up encouraging more boats, as now there is a double incentive.

Good point.

I think in a democracy the electorate's opinion is what counts..

When getting re-elected is your priority, it definitely is. And the Australians seem to be anti-immigration in majority.
This is not so surprising in a country largely populated with new immigrants. Studies done in other countries (Europe) show that the attitude against illegal immigration and new immigrants is often more extreme from first generation immigrants than the more longterm inhabitants. Probably because they are fighting for the same turf.

Anyway, it's quite obvious that politics is more about perceptions than facts. It doesn't matter if Australia has an immigration "problem" or not. As long as it is perceived to be a problem by the electorate, fighting illegal immigration will be a vote-winner.

Anchor Moy wrote: It doesn't matter if Australia has an immigration "problem" or not. As long as it is perceived to be a problem by the electorate, fighting illegal immigration will be a vote-winner.

vladimir wrote:Yeah, he does have the support of a lot of people, a bit like Hitler back in the day.

However, support may give power, but it doesn't mean it's ethical power.

To trade the lives of a few re-offending, extortionist dealers (who the Aussies outed, remember) in return for Australia sticking to a highly-respected international agreement it pledged to support? It should never even be considered as a trade.

And I think to say all governments are criminals lessens the fact that Abbott is paying people to traffic humans. Nice.

He may even end up encouraging more boats, as now there is a double incentive.

And people trafficking is worse than torture (US, UK), killing citizens and foreigners judicially (US, Saudi, China, Indonesia, Sharjah, etc.), etc?

Your passion does you credit, your logic not so much. All governments are criminals. I'd prefer mine didn't trade in torture and endless periods of detention. I'd prefer Indonesia's didn't execute people. I'd prefer Australia's stood up and did their legal duty to would-be immigrants. But if any of those governments ever start listening to me it will be because most of the rest of the world is dead.