" it was Abbott that stopped the boats but the evidence shows that after Rudd announced his policy the boat arrivals fell dramatically"
They are not two mutually exclusive statements. Abbott stopped the boats by building on policies which Rudd brought in, policies which would undoubtedly have been strenuously opposed had Abbott attempted to introduce those exact policies post-election. Australia is fortunate that Gillard was rolled when she was and a suitably ashamed Rudd was able to start reversing the damage he caused.
