the boats slowed during the howard years purely and simply becasue the geopolitical conditions that triggered them, abated. Since 2007, they have kicked in again with the Sri lanka civil war and repression of the Tamils, the increased activity in Afghanistan especially since the "surge" and increased activity in places like Burma, Thaliand and other regional hoty spots
Australian government policy is largely irrelevant and for any side to claim credit or otherwise is completely misreading the whole situation and bending it for political advantage.
that the right consistently use the issue to gain votes is to its total discredit, as many small l libs are well aware of and are equally ashamed of the consistent playing of the xeonophobic race card - and australian trait that stretches back to 1788 when the first to be feared were the french
