There’s another book that explains what happened to some asylum seekers who were forcibly deported; that book is called “Following them Home”. The Edmond Rice Peace & Justice Committee’s web site has lots of info, including terrible stories of people who were deported. One of the worst was the woman from China who was heavily pregnant - almost full term. She pleaded to be able to stay, at least until after her child was born. She was refused. She was deported and her child was aborted - so much for family values; I didn’t hear the right wingers, those highly christian people who treasure our “family values” like Abbott, Minchin, Howard etc say one word in her defence. It was many women and sympathetic decent men who advocated on her behalf - to no avail! She’s probably damaged for life! What trauma! There’s the woman who went on a hunger strike, as she and her kids were locked up in cells (young kids too) and although the toilet was close by, they weren’t allowed out, and she used old clothes in the corner for her kids to ‘wee’ on - the ‘jailers’ finally relented. This stuff is what we read about in Iran or Guantanamo Bay - it has no place in a so-called civilized country like ours - not one where the leaders strut around with chests blown out, saying ‘aren’t we good’?

I don’t need to ask questions about individuals. I know what the policies were, and how people were treated. If we stopped killing their family members in Iraq & Afghanistan, they may not be forced to flee. I don’t care who started it all, Howard made it infinitely worse, for racist reasons, to help him get re-elected, and because he’s a hypocritical bastard! Because of their policies, many people, including children will require psychological or psychiatric help for the rest of their lives. If people are worried about money, add that to the at least $1 billion the pacific solution cost us all!

I don’t watch the rubbish on corporate TV stations - they serve their best interests - which is supporting illegal wars for monetry gain, via the stealing of resources etc! They’re also only interested in USING peoples’ misery to gain viewers! They have no semblance of decency or good journalism! In short, it’s grot!

I agree with your comments RNPCOOPER, there are 2 sides to every story and for every case which is a ‘medias delight’, there are other cases of refugees which go through the visa system seamlessly and are delighted with the outcome.

Like you Steven, I was ashamed of my country and how we looked around the world. According to a comment I heard Julian Burnside QC make, our reputation was tarnished indeed!What an absolute disgraceful, heartless, cruel and unjust policy it was, and I will never forget that the conservatives refused to vote for the change, even though the present Opposition spokesperson is Sharman Stone, who was the Opposition’s person on the committee that discussed and then decided on these changes. They did a complete turn around as they thought they could get some mileage out of the boat loads of mostly Afghani asylum seekers. Use Howard’s racist card? Well done Judith Treoth, indeed a ‘woman of substance’! As for the others who didn’t cross the floor because they are worried about their political futures - every man/woman has their price - now we know what theirs is!

I’m delighted that these horrific debts have been removed, and people can get on with their lives, their relationships and hopefully visit and/or bring loved ones here. I wish them every happiness and success for their futures. Imagine if they wanted to further their education, they’d be stuck with HECS as well? Kids? A house?

http://guttertrash.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/a-liberal-with-a-conscience/#comment-4655

Somehow, I think there will be one or two Liberals that won’t be happy with Judith’s conduct. Only last week they were slamming Rudd’s decision to allow children to be ‘processed’ on the mainland rather than on Christmas Island. There were the usual howls of protest about the ‘floodgates opening up.’