So what? If it has indeed taken place, it has proven to be a successful approach and saved the taxpayers many many many multiples of what it would have cost had illegals landed on our shores - further, it has saved many lives.
Further still, the reality is that the Indonesian govt should have been doing whatever it could to stop the smugglers (be it arrest them or pay them off or whatever) - they should have been doing this as a courtesy to Australia - even in recognition for the aid it receives.
Interesting isn't it that Indonesia has traditionally claimed that it was impossible to get to all the people smugglers and stop them... ...interesting indeed that Australia has manged to achieve something that Indonesia (and labour govts) have said was too hard.
Finally, if you think the world operates on such an even and altruistic playing field, you are very green.
You should spend time looking at and exposing how many NGOs actually get by (I'm talking about their Executives) - Global Professional Altruism sits at the core of much of the UN and so many NGOs - funny how this is such an untouchable topic when put to many do-gooders.
I'd also suggest anything that our Government might have done here to prevent people smuggling would rank very low in the scandal stakes when one compares with how other countries and their politicians might operate.
