[Powderworks] Article in SMH
Jeff and Jane Scott
jscott@iinet.net.au
Thu, 28 Feb 2002 19:55:16 +0800
At 27-02-02 05:01 PM -0800, John Garrigues wrote:
>Here's what my Aussie friend says....
>
>The Tampa affair was a boat load of refugees that our government rejected
Indonesia was actually the closest port, but they wouldn't let them in. so
somehow it became Australia's problem - probably because we were the only
country that was willing to come up with _any_ solution, good or bad.
>and sent to a Pacific hell hole (where they still are)
don't know that i'd call it a "hell hole". given the choice between there
and Woomera i know where i'd go. and they're both a long way ahead of
afghanistan or iraq or wherever.
>, at the time it was
>an election and the Government (Conservative) used the issue to inflame
>bigotry and hatred to win the election.
it should also be noted that the Labor party's policy in this area was
exactly the same as the Lib's.
> Central to the whole affair is the
>Government assertion that refugees threw their children into the water to
>blackmail the Aussie Government.
that was a different boat to the Tampa one, wasn't it? but at around the
same time.
> Now it has come out that this was a lie and
>that the government used it knowingly. The shit has hit the fan. The public
>is outraged
most people i know don't actually give a monkeys.
>, the PM is a real fucking swine, he is worming his way out,
>accepting no responsibility.
he's a politician. anyone else in his position would do the same.
jeff...