http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/immigration/pms-abbott-solution...

JULIA Gillard is seeking to blame future asylum boat arrivals on Tony Abbott as Labor prepares to abandon offshore processing in the face of political deadlock.

The Prime Minister today accused Mr Abbott of neglecting the national interest by refusing to back Labor's Malaysian Solution, saying he was “terrified Malaysia would work”.

“His political opposition will see more boats come to this country - that's how reckless he's being,” Ms Gillard told ABC radio.

But the Opposition Leader said processing on Nauru remained the best option, and it was the government's responsibility to break the stalemate.

“My responsibility is to good policy and consistent policy,” Mr Abbott told Seven's Sunrise program.

“If the government wants offshore processing, it can have offshore processing, it should have offshore processing, and it should be at Nauru.”

He also held out the possibility of Coalition support for processing on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island if the government agreed to the opposition's proposed changes to the Migration Act.

But Labor is standing firm. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said if the stalemate was not resolved the government would be forced into onshore-only processing.

The government wants to allow offshore processing in countries that provide protections offered under the UN refugee convention without having to be signatories to the agreement.

“If the legislation does fail that will mean any offshore would not be legally sound and we would not be able to proceed,” Mr Bowen said.

As the government prepares to introduce its changes to the Migration Act to parliament tomorrow, Mr Bowen accused the opposition of “Malaysia bashing”.

“Being a signatory to the refugee convention is important but it is not the be-all and end-all,” Mr Bowen told ABC Radio.

“Malaysia went into this in good faith and why should we or anybody doubt their commitment to abiding by the undertakings we have negotiated? We have negotiated this in good faith and I think some of the Malaysian bashing is very unfortunate.”

The opposition wants processing countries to be full parties to the refugee convention.

Opposition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis said the Coalition was prepared to go “some of the way” in helping the government change the Migration Act.

“But we will not tolerate an Act with absolutely no human rights protection,” he told ABC Radio.

Under Labor's Malaysian arrangement, up to 800 asylum-seekers arriving in Australia by boat would have been transferred to Kuala Lumpur in exchange for Australia accepting 4000 properly-processed refugees.

The Coalition says its alternative - reopening an offshore processing centre in Nauru - is an effective deterrent with a more humane outcome.

Tony Abbott is a piss weak bigot and a prick with ears who will hide under his bed like the sniveling coward he is if he ever becomes Prime Minister

Maqqa wrote on Sep 20^th, 2011 at 6:26pm:

Big deal, Abotts is 28%

The Coalition if they become the Government will not win an election, the Labour party will lose it. They will have no mandate and that is why they too will be pitifully weak.  Social change is coming - move with it or get rolled over by the collective.

Seriously, give it up Julia. We've had it. Who:

1. got rid of the successful Pacific Solution?
2. stuffed up the pink batts?
3. promised no carbon tax, then introduced one?
4. promised to not send boat people to a non signatory of the UN convention?
5. is supporting an MP who used union funds to stick his manhood up pros?

We're not stupid, take responsibility for your own actions. Yes, Mr Abbott and the Coalition are being negative, but what other way is there to be about this pathetic, inept, corrupt, incompetent so called government?

Quote:



Sums it up nicely.

Maqqa wrote on Sep 20^th, 2011 at 8:48pm:



If Abbott wants to block fixing the problem he should be happy to accept the blame for the results of his action - its very obviously what he deserves.

Dsmithy70 wrote on Sep 20^th, 2011 at 8:59pm:

P off with your power at all costs. Juliar lied to the Australian people to get power at all cost. She told the people that they were extremists for thinking the way they do.

Labor, power at all costs.

I think it is marvellous that Abbott and Gillard's ridiculous race to the bottom on asylum seekers, and their desperate attempts to play politics over the issue, will actually lead to the end of off-shore processing for a long time to come.

If the Liberals don't support the Labor amendments while they are in opposition, they sure as hell won't get their own amendments passed through  when they are in Government. The Greens won't be supporting the legislation and its highly likely they will still have the balance of power in the Senate come 2013.

The two majors cut off their noses to spite their face and we get onshore processing for at least another electoral cycle.

Every cloud does have a silver lining.