Tony Burke Has a Bridge to Sell You

JAMES MACPHERSON AUG 4

Wewere told last November that 860 visitor visas would be issued to Palestiniansneeding refuge until the war in Gaza was over.

Wewere also told the visas would only be issued after thorough security checkshad been conducted.

TheAlbanese Government might as well have told us they had a bridge to sell us.

Todaywe are being told more than 2000 Palestinians allowed into the country will begiven the opportunity to stay here permanently.

Andsome of the security checks - in a region where we have no staff on the ground- were done in one hour.

Stillwant to buy that bridge?

TheAge newspaper reported at the weekend …

“Senior federal government sources, who asked to remainanonymous as the policy was being finalised, revealed a new special visapathway would be created for Palestinians.”

Thisis called flying it up the flag pole.

Whenunpopular government decisions are about to be made, they are first leaked,anonymously, on purpose.

Thisputs the idea into the public arena as a rumour while allowing GovernmentMinisters to claim the rumours are just rumours.

Theyare careful never to confirm the rumours but they are equally as careful not tooutright deny them.

Theyare purposefully allowing the unpopular idea to seep into public consciousnessso that people get used to the idea before it is officially announced aspolicy.

Sotoday, the relevant minister went on the ABC and did just that …

Newlyminted Home Affairs minister Tony Burke - whose Western Sydney electorate is15.1 percent Muslim - told the ABC …

“People arrived on visitor visas and the government was right touse that visa.

“It was the easiest visa to be able to deal with in a situationof absolute and immediate crisis.”

Noticehe leaves out the part that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was at pains topoint out - when the decision to take in Palestinians was first announced.

Thevisas were always to be “temporary”.

ButBurke subtly twists that to say the visas were simply the “easiest” way to dealwith a “crisis".

Actually,the “easiest” way to deal with the “crisis” in Gaza would have been for fellowMuslim country and next door neighbour Egypt to have taken people in.

Butcarry on Minister Burke ...

“We’re now in a situation where, over time, those visas arereaching their expiring date.”

Huh?We’re “now in a situation” where the visitor visas are expiring? Like no-oneevery saw this coming?

I’dbe rolling on the floor laughing if this were not so serious.

Iknow where we get Palestinian refugees from, but where the hell do we keepfinding these Government ministers?

And there’s a decision of government that hasn’t been taken yet… as to what the next step is for those individuals.”

Oh,there’s a “decision” is there?

Weird.

Yousee, I was under the impression that the “decision” had already been made. These were TEMPORARY visas for people whowould only ever be in Australia TEMPORARILY!

SeemsIdidbuy that bridge after all!

Burkecontinued …

“No country in the world is sending people back to Gaza at themoment for obvious reasons.

Ha!I would make the point that most counties in the world are not taking peoplefrom Gaza at all, for obvious reasons!

Butwho am I? Other than the proud owner of a new bridge to nowhere, I mean.

“So we have to work through what is the appropriate visa to beable to consider for these individuals. I just don’t think it’s fair for me tobe speculating in advance of being able to give a bit more assurance as to whatthe decision is.”

Wellplayed Minister Burke, well played.

He’snot denying the “speculation” but nor ishe confirming it. He is, however, agreeing that “we have to work through” some issues before he knows that “the decision is”.

Inother words, he allows the idea - that the 860 people here temporarily have nowturned into more than 2000 people about to be given permanent residency - tohang in the air.

Wecan get angry now but, at whom? At the Minister? He says he hasn’t made anydecision.

By the time an officialdecision has been made, the government is counting on the fact that communityanger will have dissipated, the news cycle will have moved on, and we will alljust shrug; waiting to be sold the next bridge.