ID :
209059
Fri, 09/23/2011 - 13:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209059
The shortlink copeid
Govt response to boats is 'dismal': Greens
(AAP) - The major parties' response to the arrival of two boatloads of asylum seekers overnight reflects a dismal display of leadership, the Australian Greens say.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard held a press conference after two boatloads of asylum seekers, including one in distress, were intercepted overnight.
She called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to take responsibility for further arrivals if he rejected the government's proposed amendment to the Migration Act to allow Labor's people-swap deal for offshore processing in Malaysia.
The debate over boat arrivals was hysterical and promoted from the very top of the government and the opposition, Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"What a dismal display of where leadership in this country has gotten to when the arrival of a few dozen people in a leaky boat and it is heightened to the point of a national security issue," Senator Hanson-Young told reporters in Canberra on Friday.
A reality check was needed when the prime minister held a press conference because two boatloads of desperate people had arrived, Senator Hanson-Young said.
"It's just part of the dirty political game that's being played," she said.
"The lives of these vulnerable asylum seekers are being used as pawns in this awful game that the government and the opposition are playing."
Both Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott were "as bad as each other" when it came to the asylum seeker debate, Senator Hanson-Young said.
"They are both hypocritical, they are both desperate to score political points out of the lives of very, very vulnerable children," she said.
The debate was not about people smuggling but sending a message to the electorate.
"Unfortunately, it's not a nice message, it's a nasty message," Senator Hanson-Young said.
The senator said not one expert to a senate inquiry into Labor's Malaysia solution had agreed offshore processing was the right thing to do.
The only submission to support offshore processing had come from the immigration department, she said.
Greens leader Bob Brown said his party would not support calls from the coalition for an early recall of parliament.
"There is no national emergency involved there," Senator Brown told reporters in Hobart on Friday.
"There would be some merit if this recall was due to the huge uncertainty now about the world's economy and the impact that's going to have on Australia.
"But that what it's about. (Opposition Leader Tony) Abbott and (immigration spokesman Scott) Morrison want to recall parliament to prosecute a quarrel. It's a very low point in Australian politics."
Prime Minister Julia Gillard held a press conference after two boatloads of asylum seekers, including one in distress, were intercepted overnight.
She called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to take responsibility for further arrivals if he rejected the government's proposed amendment to the Migration Act to allow Labor's people-swap deal for offshore processing in Malaysia.
The debate over boat arrivals was hysterical and promoted from the very top of the government and the opposition, Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"What a dismal display of where leadership in this country has gotten to when the arrival of a few dozen people in a leaky boat and it is heightened to the point of a national security issue," Senator Hanson-Young told reporters in Canberra on Friday.
A reality check was needed when the prime minister held a press conference because two boatloads of desperate people had arrived, Senator Hanson-Young said.
"It's just part of the dirty political game that's being played," she said.
"The lives of these vulnerable asylum seekers are being used as pawns in this awful game that the government and the opposition are playing."
Both Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott were "as bad as each other" when it came to the asylum seeker debate, Senator Hanson-Young said.
"They are both hypocritical, they are both desperate to score political points out of the lives of very, very vulnerable children," she said.
The debate was not about people smuggling but sending a message to the electorate.
"Unfortunately, it's not a nice message, it's a nasty message," Senator Hanson-Young said.
The senator said not one expert to a senate inquiry into Labor's Malaysia solution had agreed offshore processing was the right thing to do.
The only submission to support offshore processing had come from the immigration department, she said.
Greens leader Bob Brown said his party would not support calls from the coalition for an early recall of parliament.
"There is no national emergency involved there," Senator Brown told reporters in Hobart on Friday.
"There would be some merit if this recall was due to the huge uncertainty now about the world's economy and the impact that's going to have on Australia.
"But that what it's about. (Opposition Leader Tony) Abbott and (immigration spokesman Scott) Morrison want to recall parliament to prosecute a quarrel. It's a very low point in Australian politics."
