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| .. for the little children | |
Leftists are fond of
accusing the Liberal government of wedge politics, but they are
currently beating on a thin little wedge themselves as the asylum seeker issue has
hit the front pages again. This is an issue that everyone wants a hand in. The left are determined to
help the new arrivals dip their hands into Australia's collective
pocket; the latte-drinking elites are happy to
increase any segment of the population who is less qualified or educated than themselves;
the Liberal Party is
determined to capitalize on a strong border protection platform; the ALP is
desperate to claw back some electoral support by using phrases like
'compassion', 'tolerance' and 'big hearted nation'; and the working man is just
a bit nervous about the mass arrival of cheap labor who may be willing to do
their job for a whole lot less than their current wage. And then of course there are the courts. Many advocates of democracy believe that a democratically elected government is the
appropriate body to choose a country's immigration policy, but those who firmly
believe in separation of powers between government and
judiciary feel that the wishes of the majority of Australians can be rightly
ignored on issues that the elites disagree with. And so the courts keep trying
to deal themselves back into this game. In the latest round, the Family Law Court (well known
for its even handed treatment of minorities like adult
males) has declared that the indefinite detention of children is illegal. Of course the fact that their detention is not indefinite (it's only until the
law courts themselves get around to hearing their apparently endless appeals),
is ignored in the political game playing. Likewise the fact that they can leave (at least with their parents) whenever
they choose, and go anywhere (except Australia) is also ignored in the slithery
sophistic reasoning we have come to expect from lawyers and magistrates alike. Truth, as we all know, is what you win in a court of law. It has little to
do with reality, reason or rationality. And already the open-door advocates have declared their next move in
hammering in the thin edge of this wedge - their parents must be allowed out
too because it is in the best interests of the children to be with their
parents. Then of course the injustice of keeping others in detention simply
because they don't have any children will be used to argue that every
one else should be released, and presto - no more detention policy,
and the boats will start again within two weeks. Needless to say, Phil (thanks-for-the-donation) Ruddock is appealing to the
High Court. The outcome could go either way, but at least it's taking
the public's attention away from that little campaign contribution from his
ministerially-approved residency applicant. And if Phil loses his appeal? With the Liberal government currently leading
in the 2-party-preferred electoral polls at 54:46, this looks more like an
opportunity than a problem for the incumbents. Look forward to more excision
legislation designed to be blocked by the Senate for yet another double
dissolution trigger. Politics is a game of russian roulette and the government
seem to be playing with lots of bullets.
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