Comments on: Coalition splits on abolishing detainees’ debts

By: Jillian Blackall

Jillian Blackall — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:23:47 +0000

That’s interesting DH. I tried to look up the poll on ninemsn, but it seems to have disappeared without a trace in the 10 hours since your comment, even though I can see the archived polls from multiple earlier days. I couldn’t even find it by doing searches on google and yahoo.

By: DH

DH — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:33:49 +0000

While there is unanimity here, do not overestimate the humanity or sense of justice of the Australian public when it comes to Aboriginal or refugee issues vs, say, a tipsy white woman who steals a bar mat.

A poll currently running on ninemsn has more than 2:1 of nearly 100,000 votes in favour of charging - no doubt public sentiment is providing fuel for Coalition resistance.

By: Jillian Blackall

Jillian Blackall — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:09:26 +0000

The ‘deterrent’ argument was based on the idea that the ‘people smugglers’ would be aware of the Australian government’s policy and would not try to send illegal immigrants to Australia, but would presumably send them somewhere else, maybe New Zealand.

However, I am in 100% agreement with Petro that innocent people should not have to pay for their detention. I worry about what will happen when Petro retires and we have possibly no one left on the coalition side to fight these battles.

By: Liz45

Liz45 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:51:57 +0000

I heartily agree. I congratulate Petro Georgio on his strong stand over many years now. Judith Troeth, Bruce Baird and a couple of others whose names escape me, also deserve congratulations. As Petro said, he’s looked for evidence that this unjust system has worked as a ‘deterrent’ or some other reason to justify it, and he’s found none.

Sharmon Stone should be ashamed of herself, for the absolute bloody nonsense that she continues to sprout. She was head of the Coalition’s part in discussions with the Rudd Government during the planning of their policy (which many parts are still unjust in my view) and both she and her colleagues agreed with every one of the changes. Then she decided, that she’d like to try, just one more time, the disgusting behaviour that Howard and co exhibited in 2000 and beyond. The fact is, that most of the distressed and desperate people who risk their lives to get out of their country don’t have access to TV’s or newspapers, let alone watch and learn re the new policies of a new government in Australia. She thinks we’re fools!

The best way to prevent desperate people from wanting to seek refuge here, is not to invade their countries or allow other countries to(to wit the US & Britain) kill innocent people, detain and torture people whose only crime is to fight or rally against being occupied. Those who want to add this horrific burden to people after they’ve been granted asylum have no decency. As Petro Georgio said, we don’t even make criminals who’ve committed horrible crimes pay for their ‘board and lodging’ after they’re released from prison! Why should innocent people have to pay for it! They shouldn’t have been locked up in the first place!

By: Jillian Blackall

Jillian Blackall — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:24:43 +0000

Indeed Michael T. Go Petro!

By: michael wholohan

michael wholohan — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:17:07 +0000

Those who oppose this change define themselves in the most contemptable terms. Lets hope the coalition can find it’s sense of decency. Not only do we not need the type of thinking that this heralds, we need an opposition that we could feel proud of & a future government which could command respect. It’s been some time since the coalition has been in such a position.

By: Mr Denmore

Mr Denmore — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:51:16 +0000

What a classic demonstration of the Coalition’s reputation for being a party of punishers and straighteners, as Keating once famously put it. All power to the moderates in the party.

By: MichaelT

MichaelT — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:05:20 +0000

Go Petro!

By: Jim Reiher

Jim Reiher — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:55:37 +0000

Sorry day was one of the most important days we have seen in recent Australian history. It was a positive gesture and honest admission of mistakes in the past. (More, of course, must still be done for our indigenous Australians, but it was a good moment).

The day we abolish detainee debt for asylum seekers and refugees, will be another important day for Australia. We once were a nation that was at the forefront of progress and justice. Sadly, we have fallen seriously behind in recent decades. To be the only country in the world that adds great economic hardship on top of great suffering and trauma (by billing detainees for their time in our detention centers) is an international disgrace, an immoral act hard to equal, and to put it simply: cold hearted and cruel. We don’t even bill prisoners in jails (nor should we). But we bill suffering people desperate for a new life. I will be watching with baited breath for the vote…