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November 14, 2007
The case of Mr Tran, dicussed on ABC Lateline this week, and the intransigence of the Federal Minister to make material available to the Opposition spokesman in accordance with the long accepted convention, raises some very serious issues on the eve of the Federal election. There are over 200 cases where the Immigration Minister or his Department has bungled the clarification of individual or family situations.
At a "Meet the Candidates " forum last night in a small rural town the candidates were asked a series of questions about integrity in Government. All except the Liberal candidate answered reasonably. The Liberal candidate expressed satisfaction of his own integrity but avoided specific issues such as illegal war, handling of refugees, immigration issues and so on.
It's strange that these issues, which go to the integrity of the country have been neglected during this election campaign. They have destroyed lives and caused much debate and anger in the community. There are well established public opinions on these injustices and they are being ignored.
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Len,
There are a lot of Liberal MPs and a lot of Liberal supporters who hate the way this government has handled issues like these. It would be no surprise if the Liberal candidate at the forum agreed with you, but but can't afford to speak up at a time like this.
Neither party will want the subject raised because there are wedges that go both ways. The Liberals won't want this discussed because it ties too closely with Haneef and their stuff ups with terror policy. Labor won't want it discussed because of the potential for some whistling over refugees.
The conventions are only conventions and the guidelines are only guidelines
http://www.pmc.gov.au/guidelines/docs/caretaker_conventions.pdf
so they'll get away with that bit.
The other really ugly thing about all of these stuff ups is that they're down to ministerial discretion. How can we justify giving one human being the power to make arbitrary decisions about the lives of others? Especially when Ruddock, Vanstone and Andrews have all proven to be so bad at it.