578 It's terrible times
Who is right? Our government, with
their Stop The Boats policy, or the New York Times with their critique of it? Two
articles In the SMH juxtapose two opinion pieces that instigated me writing to the newspaper ...
... that photo is too much to bear, how could one not be unequivocal about one thing: The refugee trade across the seas must stop. But then what?
A
sobering juxtaposition, the two articles by the New York Times and Mark
Kenny. Yes, the boats to Australia are stopped; as a result potential
drownings are prevented.
I am a
Greens voter, very opposed to many Coalition policies, but a couple of years
ago I sent a letter to Christine Milne and asked, “what do you, what do the
Greens suggest we do to stop the boats, the drownings?”
I never received a
response.
The
Coalition’s policy of Stop-The-Boats in years to come will be looked upon as having been
a necessary evil. But only one other measure will rescue the Coalition from
being seen as having been evil:
All
overseas and local detention centres must be closed; all refugees must (after
necessary assessments, which must be speedy and must occur on Australian soil)
brought to Australia and integrated into the community, regardless of their
numbers. Furthermore, intake of UNHCR approved refugees must be increased.
Carsten
Burmeister Cremorne