Border Protection
Posted on Tuesday, 20 December 2011
On Friday, I wrote to the Prime Minister stating that the Coalition would be prepared to consider a specific proposal put to it by the Government to remedy its failed border protection policies.
Yesterday and again today, I have written to the Acting Prime Minister restating this position.
The Opposition is willing to meet with the Government to consider a policy proposal but they must have one to put forward.
To date, the Government has refused to provide any policy proposal to the Opposition for consideration.
The Government’s failure to present the Opposition with a clear policy proposal suggests either that it has none to put forward or that its internal divisions are preventing it from developing one.
For more than a decade, the Coalition has consistently advocated offshore processing in Nauru, Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and turning boats back (where this can be done safely) as the three main elements of a border protection regime. Together these policies have stopped the boats in the past and they should be given a chance to work again.
These are policies that can be implemented by the Government immediately.
It is only after the Government abandoned these policies that the boats have started again. The recent surge in arrivals follows the Prime Minister’s decision to introduce an onshore release policy via bridging visas.
The Government should not close down for Christmas with the crisis on our borders unaddressed.
20 December 2011