Video Information


Below: a June 30, 2013 Sky News Viewpoint segment, with Chris Kenny commenting on PM Rudd's "inflammatory" remarks on the "turn-back-the-boats" policy as seen by Indonesia.




Below: an ABC breakfast program segment from July, 2013, reporting a press conference in which Opposition leader Tony Abbott questions the government's PNG arrangements and reiterates his support for turning asylum-seeker boats around "when safe to do so".




Below: A 2013 Sunrise report in which the Opposition leader expands on his policy of turning asylum-seeker boats around, but admitting that Australian defence personnel might face increased danger.




Below: A May, 2012, Sunrise program segment, in which Saman Shad says Australians have an unhealthy fear of boat people, and thinks it's time to embrace young immigrants, rather than locking them up.




Below: a 2012 "Today Tonight" segment warning of an "invasion" of refugees. Media reports like these put pressure on politicians to come up with "solutions" to what has been described by at least one MP as a "national emergency"




Below: How it all started: a documentary on the "Tampa Incident", shown as part of an ABC special Q&A program. This documentary should be considered comment, but its material is factual.






Web links, documents


On October 19, 2009, Crikey published an analysis which casts doubt on the Pacific Solution as a deterrent to asylum seekers. The piece is titled 'Push vs. Pull - Asylum Seeker Numbers and Statistics'
The full text of the analysis can be accessed at http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/10/19/push-vs-pull-asylum-seeker-numbers-and-statistics/

In February 2011 The Refugee Council of Australia published a comment and analysis titled 'Myths about refugees and asylum seekers'
The text can be accessed at http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/f/myth-long.php#deterrence

On July 11, 2012, The Punch published a detailed critique of some of the problems associated with a tow-back-the-boats policy. The piece is titled 'Turning back the boats? We should listen to the Navy'.
This comment can be accessed at http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/turning-back-the-boats-we-should-listen-to-the-navy/

On May 31, 2013, ABC News published a report titled 'Indonesian Ambassador criticises Coalition's policy of turning back boats'
The report can be accessed at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-31/ambassador-says-indonesia-opposes-policy-of-turning-back-boats/4726842

On June 12, 2013, The Conversation ran a comment by Savitri Taylor, Associate Professor, Law School at La Trobe University titled 'Towing back the boats: bad policy whatever way you look at it'. The piece presents an analysis of the negative consequences of the policy of towing back the boats'.
This article can be accessed at http://theconversation.com/towing-back-the-boats-bad-policy-whatever-way-you-look-at-it-15082

On June 16, 2013, The Adelaide Advertiser published a comment by Alexander Downer, former foreign minister in the Howard government titled 'John Howard's policy was effective in beating back boats of people arriving in Australia illegally'.
The comment can be accessed at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/alexander-downer-beat-back-the-boats/story-e6freabc-1226664657561

On July 7, 2013, the Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, gave a door stop interview in Melbourne which included his statement on his then intentions regarding stopping the boats. This interview can be accessed at http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2013/07/30/tony-abott-transcript-joint-doorstop-interview-melbourne

On July 8, 2013, news.com.au published a comment and analysis titled 'Ten myths around asylum seekers arriving on boats in Australian waters'.
The treatment can be accessed at http://www.news.com.au/world-news/ten-myths-around-asylum-seekers-arriving-on-boats-in-australian-waters/story-fndir2ev-1226676024840

On July 12, 2013, Green Left Weekly published a comment titled 'Busting three asylum seeker myths'.
The comment can be accessed at http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/54484

On July 15, 2013, The Australian Conservative published an article detailing the tow the boats policy outlined by Tony Abbott. The piece is titled '"We are not going to be played for mugs by people smugglers," Abbott says'
The article can be accessed at http://australianconservative.com/2013/07/we-are-not-going-to-be-played-for-mugs-by-people-smugglers-abbott-says/

On July 19, 2013, The Guardian produced a report titled 'Did John Howard's Pacific Solution stop the boats, as Tony Abbott asserts?' The article questions the supposed deterrent effect of the Howard Government's 'Pacific Solution'.
The article can be accessed at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/19/did-howard-solution-stop-boats?CMP=twt_gu

On July 19, 2013, The Conversation published a comment titled 'Explainer: the legality of turning or towing back asylum boats' The piece is critical of towing back the boats policies.
It can be accessed at http://theconversation.com/explainer-the-legality-of-turning-or-towing-back-asylum-boats-16201

On July 25, 2013, Tony Abbott issued a press release titled 'Operation Sovereign Borders'. The media release details the Coalition's proposed asylum seeker policy and gives a number of justifications for it.
The release can be accessed at http://www.tonyabbott.com.au/LatestNews/PressReleases/tabid/86/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9311/Operation-Sovereign-Borders.aspx
The Liberal Party's media release on the same topic was issued the following day. It can be accessed at http://liberal.org.au/latest-news/2013/07/26/operation-sovereign-borders

On July 25, 2013, Business Insider Australia presented an overview of Tony Abbott's 'Operation Sovereign Borders'. This overview can be accessed at http://www.businessinsider.com.au/chart-the-clear-chain-of-command-under-operation-sovereign-borders-2013-7

On July 25, 2013, the ABC's current affairs site The Drum published a critique of both the Opposition and the Government's asylum seeker policies titled 'Quick fix solutions make poor asylum seeker policy'. This comment can be accessed at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-25/brissenden-operation-sovereign-borders/4844318

On July 25, 2013, Crikey published a detailed overview of the Opposition's 'Operation Sovereign Borders'. This overview can be accessed at http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/07/25/military-reshuffle-abbotts-operation-sovereign-borders/?wpmp_switcher=mobile

On July 26, 2013, ABC News ran a report titled 'Former Defence chief sceptical of Coalition's plan to use military commander to combat people smugglers'. This report can be accessed at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-25/defence-group-sceptical-of-coalition-border-policy/4844304

On August 1, 2013, New Matilda published a comment titled 'Who Will Win the Asylum Policy Manhood Test?' The comment criticises the asylum seeker policies of both the Rudd government and the Opposition.
This comment can be accessed at http://newmatilda.com/2013/08/01/who-will-win-asylum-policy-manhood-test