Gogo1, the Greens are not the issue. They don't want off-shore processing no matter what. The problem is Abbott's Coalition who wont vote with Labor that would ensure passage of legislation that will give the Australian Government the right to control its borders. At present due to the High Court ruling all offshore processing is out.
The Australian Government regardless from which side of politics, should be able to determine how it will control its borders and the proposed legislation provides for that. It needs a bi-partisan approach by Labor and the Coalition to pass in the Senate. That legislation will enable both the Malaysian and the Nauru solution.
At the moment the Opposition is playing hardball but I pray they change their position before there are more tragedies on the high seas as potentially tens of thousands of refugees currently in Malaysia and Indonesia endeavour to get to Australia by boat. The Coalition need to reflect on that because after the tragedies happen, they may not be able to sleep nights.
Let the government introduce its Malaysia solution and they will be judged ultimately by the electorate as to the efficacy at election time. The legislation would allow re-introduction of the Nauru solution should a future Coalition Government want to go down that course.
Both Labor and Coalition must come together on this issue for both border control and humanitarian reasons.
