howard govt:political capital from human misery, page-21

Denman,

I haven't read more than two or three posts on this thread but whatever one thinks of the Tampa business, it really is being used as another political ploy by those who seek to damage Howard's Government. The outcome has been that this Government's compassion has ensured that all those who were intercepted, have been properly assessed and many granted asylum.

The very compassionate act of Vandstone, in contrast to the politically motivated lawyers/old maids (lads as well as lassies who wouldn't have a clue what is emotionally bad for children and are being more and more shown up as callous manipulators of these kids and their parents, for their own political ends) shows that those with a "white picket fence" mentality come up trumps when the chips are down.

I sometimes wonder if any of these activists have ever had anything to do with kids or perhaps at best were only absentee parents. "Razor wire" is unlikely to be an emotional obstacle for kids if they are with loving parents and sibs. The "callous" were willing to separate the kids from their parents and in the case of the Indonesian children give them only two weeks with their father. Howard, through Vandstone acted like a real father.

The outcome has been a reduction in people smuggling, compassion shown to those from the "Tampa Era" and an election won by the good guys.

The latter outcome,because many Aussies could see the logic and compassion behind it all.