Illegal immigration resurfaces

Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd can deny it all he likes, but since abolishing the Pacific Solution, and thus being far more lenient to asylum seekers coming to Australia, the number of boat people trying to reach Australian shores has seen a sharp rise in recent months. Yes, that’s another 35 caught of the West Australian coast just today.

At least Sharman Stone, Opposition Immigration and Citizenship spokeswoman is trying to hold Rudd to account yet Turnbull’s silence has been deafening.

And this situation doesn’t look like it’s going to improve any time soon, either. Take this. It has been suggested some people currently in detention centres should be released, even though they haven’t been properly identified. And to think, some in the so-called Opposition are going for this one, too. All this in the same breath as we watched in horror this week the Mumbai attacks.

Add to that, just how are Australia’s waters meant to be patrolled properly when the navy has been ordered to shut down for two months over Christmas, just as numbers of illegal immigrants are rising again?

And to top it all off, corrupt Indonesian officials, where many of the people smugglers operate out of, have been selling fake visas!

Yes, this debate should ignite again.

Pull your head out of the sand, Rudd. And start living up to your namesake, Turnbull (hint: Opposition).