“We Will Do Whatever It Takes…”

I’m one of the minority of people who think that this whole asylum seeker/refugee policy is immoral, unchristian, dangerous.

Now we seem to have more revelations that the Federal Government is paying people smugglers to return their human cargo back to Indonesia. I’ve got 2 things to say on this.

Firstly Indonesia. Its pretty obvious that Indonesia has neither the interest or the intention of stamping out the trade from their end. They don’t want the refugees, and they don’t care how they leave, so long as they go. I’m not a fan of this government, but I think Julie Bishop is right to turn the spotlight on Indonesia’s inaction on the issue. They have given lip service to the idea of stopping people smugglers, but they have done very little else.

Secondly Australia. The idea that the government uses tax dollars to pay people smugglers to return their cargo back to Indonesia is just plain wrong – at any level. People smugglers demand big money to transport refugees to Australia, then get paid by Australia to transport them back. Its a crazy idea that will ony encourage the trade as people smugglers realise they will get paid twice.

And in the middle of this are the refugees, many of them fleeing from poverty, persecution and war. They are innocent of anything other than seeking a better life. Who will speak for them?