The Federal Government's decision to use the $400million detention camp on Christmas Island, built by the Coalition, is sparking fresh debate about the mandatory imprisonment of asylum-seekers.
Unauthorised arrivals, aka boat people, aka queue jumpers, have been routinely locked up since the days of the former Labor government. The Howard government decided to go much further with its policy of deterrence after it detected community angst about the boats from Indonesia. John Howard made border protection a strong election theme under his mantra that ''We will decide'' who was going to come to Australia.
His Pacific solution redirected asylum-seekers to Nauru, preventing them from landing on Australian territory and lodging claims for asylum.
The Rudd Government made significant changes to border protection policy but was determined to be seen as ''tough on boat people'' before both domestic and international audiences.
The incoming Government ended the Pacific solution by closing the Nauru camp; scrapped temporary protection visas which had kept asylum-seekers in limbo; and released women and children from detention camps. It continued to embrace mandatory detention to deter refugees from risking their lives.
But the change has not run as smoothly as Immigration Minister Chris Evans wanted. The boats are arriving again. Is that due to his policy changes or is it simply the annual ''season''?
Before the weekend, there were already 135 asylum-seekers on Christmas Island, most of them single, adult males from the boats that have arrived since September. They are housed at an older detention camp, a construction camp and in community facilities. Although the Labor Government has been sending unauthorised arrivals to Christmas Island, it has eschewed the 800-bed North West Point camp, purpose-built by the Howard government. Government MP Michael Danby, who led a parliamentary delegation to inspect the camp this year, described it as a stalag, a waste of money and an enormous white elephant.
Accordingly, the camp had not been used until a few days ago when the Labor Government performed an embarrassing somersault (with pike). Evans decided last Friday that the camp would finally be opened because of the arrival of another boat near Darwin. The 37 males from the vessel will be housed in the camp but no women and children will live there, consistent with Government policy.
Does opening the camp send the message that the Government is losing the battle against people smugglers and therefore validates the Howard government's decision to build the expensive compound? The Opposition has complained that dumping temporary protection visas gives an incentive for boat people to head to Australia with the belief they might have a better chance of being allowed to stay that is, that Australia is now seen as a ''soft target'' for people smugglers.
Seven boats have been stopped in the past three months, carrying 164 suspected asylum-seekers, compared with 148 last year. It is too early to say whether the changes in policy are sending the wrong signal overseas but the influx of boat people must serve as a warning. Australia's reputation is at stake on two counts. With damage from the ''children overboard'' incident still fresh, we must treat asylum-seekers humanely.
The policy changes are to be applauded, particularly the ban on women and children being held in detention camps and the speedier processing of asylum claims. But is locking traumatised people in a remote, high-security camp acceptable?
Also, the Government must be vigilant that Australia does not become a ''soft target'' and must be prepared to reconsider its policy as circumstances change.
Drink-drive alarm
It is disappointing that Canberra has experienced a spike in drink-driving. Figures published at the weekend show that the rate of offenders being caught has risen by 10 per cent in the past three months. One driver was six times over the limit, the equivalent of drinking a bottle of spirits before getting behind the wheel.
The alarming trend in drink-driving is occurring despite the annual campaign where ACT police work with their NSW colleagues on Operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers).
Are they catching more previously undetected drunk drivers or does the higher number of offenders portend bad news about the mindset of Canberra drivers? We take the optimistic view but urge all drivers to act responsibly.
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