It’s clear that the new Liberal coalition government under recently elected leader Tony Abbott have opted to censor all news about any boat arrivals since coming to government last Saturday. As a result, Australia and the world will get no news about how many refugees have arrived in Australia and, more importantly, what their fate will be.
Julian Burnside QC, an advocate for asylum seeking refugees, has recently suggested that the whole of Tasmania be declared a place of detention where boat arrivals could be sent. Pontville detention centre could become reception centre for medical and security checks prior to being released into the populace where they would be free to work and live while their status is being confirmed. Unfortunately, it’s a grand idea that the conservative Australian government are unlikely to consider despite its obvious merits.
Meanwhile, a look around the conservative commentators and bloggers in the mainstream media who, before the election, wrote daily pieces critical of asylum seeking boatpeople, have now virtually said not a word about them since the election. It’s as if they’ve been asked not to write anything that highlights the plight of asylum seeking boatpeople.
As a result of the blackout on news about boatpeople arrivals I have launched a blogspot website called Boat Arrivals to Australia Log which I hope readers will use to post what news they do have about any boat arrivals since the election.
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