At 8.06 this morning it was done: the House of Representatives passed the government’s Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014, following its passage and amendment just after midnight in the Senate. Parliamentarians then got to go home for Christmas, having delivered the Immigration Minister extraordinary powers that in effect obliterate any further pretence that Australia regards asylum seekers as human beings.
The bill restored the failed Howard-era policy of temporary protection visas, a mechanism that actually increased boat arrivals when last attempted. Whether Clive Palmer seriously believes that there is a pathway to citizenship contained in a kind of homeopathic form within the legislation — or it merely suits its purposes to pretend there is — we don’t know, but Scott Morrison has been crystal clear that TPVs will never provide permanent protection.
But the bill goes much further, freeing Australia from any obligations associated with the Refugee Convention, including giving Morrison and his department — which has repeatedly demonstrated it is profoundly incompetent and resistant to the most basic forms of accountability — the power to return people to torture and persecution without judicial review.
That the passage of such a bill was only secured with the blatant use of blackmail, in which Morrison used detained children as hostages to be bartered for Senate compliance, says much about the wretched contents of the bill, about the complete amorality of the government and about the depths to which it has needed to sink in order to give itself a win on which to end a wretched year. That crossbench senators like Ricky Muir, Nick Xenophon and the PUPs gave in to such threats, however, is a reflection entirely on them. Their ostentatious anguish at having to deal with such a choice can’t hide the grim reality of their actions.
The bill is immoral, it’s bad policy, and it’s been passed using the lives of children as bargaining chips. The division lists in the Senate and the House of Representatives will be a roll call of shame in years to come.
47 thoughts on “Crikey says: refugee bill an immoral disgrace”
klewso
December 7, 2014 at 1:23 amI reckon that, years after SIEV X, bobbing around in a swell of xenophobia and “Muslim terrorists” it was lucky they eventually found this “humanitarian” flotsam to latch on to?
Norman Hanscombe
December 7, 2014 at 8:06 amSadly, klewso, it’s clear that Centuries after Aristotle and Socrates helped clarify human thinking, quite a few posters still haven’t learnt how to retrieve useful logical tools floating since those times in the relatively calm Philosophical Sea.
Interrobanging On
December 7, 2014 at 3:28 pm“Morrison is offering a way to get them out of detention.”
Nasty bullshit. Morrison could have released them at any time, but kept them there to blackmail Senators to give him his arrogant power grab for North Korean dictatorial powers over people’s lives. What sort of grub uses children’s suffering to get their way?
I feel for Muir put in such a nasty situation by a nasty man and his supporters, but still he shouldn’t have given in to blackmail.
I can see Liberal supporters being conflicted over this, but it is better to shut up. If they don’t and engage in debate, they show themselves as being at the same level and overtly supporting brutality and blackmail.
What is wrong with you? Morrison is probably a psychopath, but your excuses? Remember what Liberals wanted was even worse.
Norman, playing with words doesn’t convince – you are still justifying callous brutality, blackmail using children, refoulement etc. Fallen for the classic demonisation campaign?
And this isn’t about stopping boats. This is aimed at those already in Australia to punish them or to try to keep this issue going for votes. The 0.12% or so added to the population means being ‘overrun’, I suppose, according to the chattering classes on this one.
No-one arriving since the Labor policy denying settlement came in gets any visa at all, so there is no deterrent effect from any of this.
And crying about about deaths at sea, but still agreeing to send the same people back to their deaths? The concern is faked.
And any moral high ground for the Liberals was ended when they opposed the Malaysian Solution because it might have worked. Abbott has admitted it was for political reasons with his ‘act of contrition’ to the Malaysian PM and the people trafficking deal bought from Cambodia shows they are quite happy to dump people in an Asian country.
They wanted boats to come and more deaths.
David Hand
December 7, 2014 at 5:42 pmAs the bleating down here in the crypt gets louder and more shrill the actual substance of the arguments gets weaker and weaker.
Many children will be out of detention very soon and that’s a good thing. That it took a change in the law is nothing to get so excited about.
Ricky wanted the gig and he got it so he should just get on with it.
Interrobanging On
December 7, 2014 at 10:34 pmHe did want it, sort of. He shouldn’t have given into the blackmail, but at least he was torn and upset about it. What of those who think it is fine and even laudatory?
Shrill isn’t the word for it. The disgust is pretty deep for those who haven’t given up their humanity.
And people are giving up important things for the *Abbott* government. It isn’t as if it is a good one.
Norman Hanscombe
December 7, 2014 at 10:48 pmInterrobanging On, you reached new depths of insane rants with quaint claims at #33 such as,”arrogant power grab for North Korean dictatorial powers over people’s lives” and “Morrison is probably a psychopath”. At least there’s a good laugh with your projection in the accusation someone else has, “Fallen for the classic demonisation campaign”.
When we see claims suggesting, “No-one arriving since the Labor policy denying settlement came in gets any visa at all, so there is no deterrent effect from any of this” it shows posters must believe the nonsense or they’ wouldn’t put it in black and white. Ditto outburst such as, “They wanted boats to come and more deaths”.
But now you add to your standard unintended irony by accusing OTHERS of being “shrill”!
Are your family grateful you do all your sniping from the anonymity of a Nom de Blog?
drsmithy
December 7, 2014 at 10:53 pmMany children will be out of detention very soon and that’s a good thing.
They never even needed to go into it. That’s the point you miss with your false dichotomies and hollow justifications.
Norman Hanscombe
December 7, 2014 at 11:28 pmsmithy, when the Labor/Green coop began undermining our national integrity weren’t there about a dozen in detention and none was a child? How many had died at sea before the Labor/Green combination lost control last Election, and how many since?
You really don’t seem to understand what a dichotomy is or what’s meant by hollow arguments, do you.
But I guess that helps you feel noble and pure?
klewso
December 8, 2014 at 10:54 amCaw, d’Or, I’d better check my medication?
….. Here’s Jones, Blot and Field (the AAA conservative ratings agency) down here in the crypt, huddled around their bubbling conservative gruel, performing the opening scene of Macbeth?
Fates preserve this government from progressive mockery, banter and intercourse – lest it spread – for who knows where that might lead, even full circle?
Norman Hanscombe
December 8, 2014 at 11:19 amklewso, leaving aside your apparent inability to understand the actual message contained in that Shakespearian play, although you may claim to be “progressive” the hopeless sorts of mockery and banter I’m sure you genuinely believe to be effective work even less well than the proverbial snowballs in Hell. In your case they’re more snowflakes in Hell.
I commend you for helping shelter family and friends from embarrassment by using your Nom de Blog.