An unfortunate incident?

An unfortunate incident?

After watching the “Sovereign borders” debacles of the last few weeks, culminating in the assaults on 70+ asylum seekers, and the murder of at least one, Reza Berati, last weekend,  Scott Morrison  has proved himself to be at the very least stupid, if not downright dishonest and incompetent, and should either fall on his sword or be sacked.

The truth is that Morrison started out by accusing people of spreading unsubstantiated rumours, and warned the media not to do it?    He then went on to report unsubstantiated rumours himself.

This is a man who has been more than secretive about the workings of his portfolio, and their border protection policies (?) telling us nothing of what’s really going on, to the point where  we have to go looking to the Jakarta Post for our news and information.  But when it comes to covering their own arses, they will do and say whatever it takes…  Do you see a pattern emerging?   😉

Remember this is the minister (?) that;

• Has misled the Australian voters and probably the parliament too.
• Has thumbed his nose at the Senate.
• Has presided over policy stuff ups and Navy incursions into Indonesian territorial waters.
• Has blamed everyone from the ALP to the asylum seekers themselves for his own mismanagement and incompetence!
• Has displayed a spectacular lack of sympathy, empathy and humanity in his attitude towards the people under his care;

Twitter image via IA
http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/scott-morrison-and-the-manus-island-murder,6203

So what did Morrison know?

Well we know that while the  the violence was taking place, there were reports, credible reports as it turns out, coming from inside the camp to Australian refugee agencies and advocates, at the same time that, you would imagine, Morrison’s office were getting their information?

Any competent minister would have announced an enquiry immediately, and told the media that there are conflicting reports, and he will release the information as soon as he knows all the facts.

Instead, he seized the false information and ran with it, intimating that;

• he knew what had happened
• it was the asylum seekers own fault,pontificating over the “Fact” that if they had stayed “inside the compound” they would have been safe, and the man wouldn’t have been killed.
• That his information was good and that reports from sources other than his own weren’t credible, and should be ignored.
• He  can guarantee that if asylum seekers stay within the compound, they would be safe!

Since this tragic event happened, I have heard a number of LNP MP’s comparing this one “Unfortunate incident” with 1100 deaths at sea under the ALP… WTF?

I’m sorry, but IMHO there is NO comparison between the situation of desperate people drowning as a result of choosing to board a leaky boat for a clearly dangerous trip, and the death of a man who was placed under our protection, via Scott Morrison, and was subsequently, violently murdered inside the detention centre that was supposed to protect him from the type of violence that he was fleeing, and sadly proved his ultimate demise… on Morrison’s watch.

All deaths are tragic, whether drowning at sea, or suicide while in detention, or murdered in detention.

Sadly there will always be people desperate enough to undertake dangerous and sometimes deadly journeys to find a life for themselves and their families.

Suicide is a sad consequence of the hopelessness and the inevitable depression felt by many innocent people held in detention, and facing an uncertain future at the hands of politicians and bureaucrats.

The murder of a man who had come to us for sanctuary and a better life, was, is and has produced many things, including;

• A terrible tragedy for the family and friends of the victim.
• A criminal act requiring a thorough investigation.
• Another blot on our international reputation.
• A major policy failure (Albeit one of many).
• A major display of ministerial incompetence.
• A lack of ministerial accountability.

What it is NOT, is;

• It’s not just an LNP inconvenience.
• It’s not the time to rally around an incompetent minister.
• And It’s NOT JUST “An unfortunate incident!”