Fascinating program last night providing a rare insight into the thinking of some of our nearest neighbours.

Most important was a blunt statement by an adviser to the Indonesian Deputy President that they will never accept asylum seeker boats turned back from Australia.

Looks like one of Abbott's principal election policies has developed a serious leak and is sinking fast.

What now, Tony?

No. When did I say that?

I am saying that an extremely influential person states very clearly Indonesia will never accept boats turned back by Australia.

Would you not agree that puts Abbott's "turn back the boats" policy down the dunny?

Does he have a fall back position?

The speaker was a woman.

There is nothing here about Indonesia dictating anything, just setting their own policy.

So if Tony turns back the boats, and Indonesia won't accept them, where do they go?

So? Who is going to force them to accept the boats back?

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Jul 5^th, 2013 at 6:17am:

The crew on these boats are Indonesians and the boats are owned by Indonesians.

To say they are not Indonesians would be to say an Australian Naval Boat with a load of boat people on board is not an Australian Vessel

Peter Freedman wrote on Jul 5^th, 2013 at 5:16am:


Can we have a say on some of Indonesia's policies? How 'bout they run their 2013/2014 budget by us for final approval? What about their defence policy? Social security may need some scrutiny as well.

Peter Freedman wrote on Jul 5^th, 2013 at 5:16am:


Gunboat Diplomacy.

Instead of the Border Patrol boats being used as a taxpayer-funded escort service for the asylum-seeker frauds, Abbott's highly innovative idea (for its commonsense) to have them actually used for border protection purposes is a guarantee of effectiveness.

I hope nobody is still labouring under the delusion that the 44,000 boat-people arrivals since Labor came to power was unintended.

Of COURSE it was part of Labor policy to encourage as many Labor-voting Third Worlders to arrive ~ hook or by crook ~ as could be managed during their time in office.

Abbott will be holding a Royal Flush to Indonesia's lousy hand when it comes time for him to read them the Riot Act.

Foreign Aid and Gunboat diplomacy for starters.

Indonesia's petulant hostage-keeping of Schapelle Corby all these years has been designed to embarrass Australia. Abbott won't forget that.

Abbott will also be mindful of the fact he is dealing with one of the most corrupt regimes in the world ~ and that as Muslims, their default attitude to the White Christian nation of Australia is one of resentful inferiority complex.

Lord Herbert wrote on Jul 5^th, 2013 at 9:33am:


HEAR HEAR!