Story time:
2001, Australia. The conservative Howard government is trailing badly in the polls heading into a federal election.
Then, the Norwegian freighter "Tampa" picks up 433 drowning Afghans off the coast and Howard turns it into an existential threat to all that's Aussie.
2001, Australia. The conservative Howard government is trailing badly in the polls heading into a federal election.
Then, the Norwegian freighter "Tampa" picks up 433 drowning Afghans off the coast and Howard turns it into an existential threat to all that's Aussie.
The Tampa is refused dock in Australia and is ultimately boarded by Australian Special Forces.
Ministers, based on fabricated evidence, claimed asylum seekers, "threw their children overboard," saying this proved they weren't the kind of people we want in Australia.
Ministers, based on fabricated evidence, claimed asylum seekers, "threw their children overboard," saying this proved they weren't the kind of people we want in Australia.
Surging in the polls, the Howard Government then introduced the "Border Protection Bill" and the "Pacific Solution" which lead to Australia still funding and operating what are essentially secretive refugee prison camps in impoverished Pacific Island States.
It worked.
The Howard government handily won the 2001 election, actually gaining a few seats.
Since then, every election, hordes of refugee economic migrant terrorist job taking welfare recipients emerge as the conservatives' menace du jour for Western Sydney swing voters.
The Howard government handily won the 2001 election, actually gaining a few seats.
Since then, every election, hordes of refugee economic migrant terrorist job taking welfare recipients emerge as the conservatives' menace du jour for Western Sydney swing voters.
Links to read more:
Tampa: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampa_aff…
"Children Overboard":
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_…
The "Pacific Solution":
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_S…
2001 Election:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Aust…
Tampa: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampa_aff…
"Children Overboard":
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_…
The "Pacific Solution":
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_S…
2001 Election:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Aust…
