Post by ppyenews on Aug 11, 2006 21:37:51 GMT -5
Welcome to ‘Talkback Topic’ – I’m Phillip Pye.
Many will remember earlier this year the “Hoo-hah” over the granting of ‘Visas’ to 42 of 43 Papuan Asylum seekers who made the treacherous journey across Torres Strait in a homemade Canoe. The Indonesian Government jumped up and down to the extent that they called home their Ambassador in Canberra in protest, Indonesia’s trade gurus placed a boycott on Australian goods, offensive cartoons of both countries Political leaders hit the media pages, there were riots in Jakarta outside the Australian Embassy where the Coat of Arms was defaced, and a series of other forms of uneasiness between the two nations occured.
At the time PM John Howard looked set to play right in to the hands of the Indonesians demands creating a political furore. His decisions at the time were based on what he classified as being the wishes of the Australian People, I might add, without any real form of consultation. PM Howard’s call was to relieve the pressure of what can only be seen as “Bullying” by the Indonesian Government. The situation has taken a major turn however, with the Federal Liberal Government attempting to change the Migration Laws to what some consider as a means of “appeasing” the Indonesian Government.
Shadow Immigration Spokesman, ‘Tony Burke’ has now jumped on the ‘Bandwagon’ claiming that now the ‘bill’ has been passed by the House of Representatives, the fight is on. He also claims that "round one” has gone to the appeasement of Indonesia, and is blatantly turning a blind eye to whether or not children are locked up, to whether or not people are indefinitely detained, and to whether or not Australian sovereignty is more important than Indonesian sovereignty."
In another response to the issue Opposition Leader Kim Beazley added fuel to the fire by taking a toy stuffed chicken in to Parliaments question time resulting in a vocal clash outside Parliament between The Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey and Mr. Beazley. On that note Mr. Beazley has certainly shown his true colours as an ineffective debater and a reassurance that his only real part in the Migration changes is to use it as a Political Football to gain votes. It is the sort of behaviour that adds to the reality that it’s about time he quit and handed it over to someone like Julia Gillard who CAN do the job and not just look the part.
Family First Senator Steve Fielding is meeting Papuan refugees in Melbourne ahead of next week's Senate vote on the Government's migration Bill and has also had a meeting with the Indonesian Ambassador. His vote is one of the vital one’s that is needed by the Howard Government but one wonders why he or his party did not enter the debate earlier. Another one who really only wants a few Political brownie points it seems. Nationals MP John Forrest resigned as his Party’s Political Whip and, Liberal Bruce Baird, Judy Moylan, Petro Georgiou and Russell Broadbent have all either crossed the floor or abstained from voting.
The real fire has come from Senator Bob Brown and the ‘Greens’ who in reality approached the issue right from when the 43 Papuan Asylum Seekers arrived in Australia. It would appear that the ‘Greens’ have been the only Political Party to show any real form of humility towards the plights of refugees and asylum seekers, the only Party who is really asking serious questions as to why two previous Afghanistan asylum seekers were returned to their country and have since been reported dead as a result. Are the ‘Greens’ the only ones who really care?
I’m Phillip Pye.
Many will remember earlier this year the “Hoo-hah” over the granting of ‘Visas’ to 42 of 43 Papuan Asylum seekers who made the treacherous journey across Torres Strait in a homemade Canoe. The Indonesian Government jumped up and down to the extent that they called home their Ambassador in Canberra in protest, Indonesia’s trade gurus placed a boycott on Australian goods, offensive cartoons of both countries Political leaders hit the media pages, there were riots in Jakarta outside the Australian Embassy where the Coat of Arms was defaced, and a series of other forms of uneasiness between the two nations occured.
At the time PM John Howard looked set to play right in to the hands of the Indonesians demands creating a political furore. His decisions at the time were based on what he classified as being the wishes of the Australian People, I might add, without any real form of consultation. PM Howard’s call was to relieve the pressure of what can only be seen as “Bullying” by the Indonesian Government. The situation has taken a major turn however, with the Federal Liberal Government attempting to change the Migration Laws to what some consider as a means of “appeasing” the Indonesian Government.
Shadow Immigration Spokesman, ‘Tony Burke’ has now jumped on the ‘Bandwagon’ claiming that now the ‘bill’ has been passed by the House of Representatives, the fight is on. He also claims that "round one” has gone to the appeasement of Indonesia, and is blatantly turning a blind eye to whether or not children are locked up, to whether or not people are indefinitely detained, and to whether or not Australian sovereignty is more important than Indonesian sovereignty."
In another response to the issue Opposition Leader Kim Beazley added fuel to the fire by taking a toy stuffed chicken in to Parliaments question time resulting in a vocal clash outside Parliament between The Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey and Mr. Beazley. On that note Mr. Beazley has certainly shown his true colours as an ineffective debater and a reassurance that his only real part in the Migration changes is to use it as a Political Football to gain votes. It is the sort of behaviour that adds to the reality that it’s about time he quit and handed it over to someone like Julia Gillard who CAN do the job and not just look the part.
Family First Senator Steve Fielding is meeting Papuan refugees in Melbourne ahead of next week's Senate vote on the Government's migration Bill and has also had a meeting with the Indonesian Ambassador. His vote is one of the vital one’s that is needed by the Howard Government but one wonders why he or his party did not enter the debate earlier. Another one who really only wants a few Political brownie points it seems. Nationals MP John Forrest resigned as his Party’s Political Whip and, Liberal Bruce Baird, Judy Moylan, Petro Georgiou and Russell Broadbent have all either crossed the floor or abstained from voting.
The real fire has come from Senator Bob Brown and the ‘Greens’ who in reality approached the issue right from when the 43 Papuan Asylum Seekers arrived in Australia. It would appear that the ‘Greens’ have been the only Political Party to show any real form of humility towards the plights of refugees and asylum seekers, the only Party who is really asking serious questions as to why two previous Afghanistan asylum seekers were returned to their country and have since been reported dead as a result. Are the ‘Greens’ the only ones who really care?
I’m Phillip Pye.
