Whilst there was nothing that we hadn't heard before in relation to arrivals by boat - except the Prime Minister's use of the emotive term 'evil' and the Leader of the Opposition's invocation of the whole package of 'effective' Howard government policies (Nauru, turning the boats back and Temporary Protection Visas) - we are witnessing a shift in the positioning of this issue to a policy space more in tune with our times says Professor Sharon Bell.

“Under the Howard government the issue of 'boat people' was clearly linked to security and boarder protection, playing on the post 9/11 culture of fear.  The PM last night indicated she is passionate about boarder protection, but the issue of those arriving illegally by boat has now become equally entwined with the race to reduce immigration in the name of sustainable population,” she says.

“Who could argue with this position? Neither of the major political parties as they are simply arguing about the means to an end.  This simplistic and politically motivated position ignores what we know: that population sustainability is intimately linked to issues of lifestyle and consumption, and population distribution and that by far the greatest  number of illegal arrivals, or rather 'stayers', are those who arrive by plane.  What to do?  Turn back the planes?"

“Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott both wore their immigrant status proudly last night. Let's not forget that we (apart from our Indigenous population) are all immigrants now. Why do we of all people stand so ready to shed our compassion and humanity for those whose circumstances are so desperate that they are prepared to risk their lives to travel to a place they can barely imagine?”

Professor Sharon Bell,
L.H.Martin Institute,
Melbourne Graduate School of Education,
University of Melbourne