Asylum seeker blame game continues

18 Feb 2012, 5:13 pm   -   Source: AAP
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As another boat with asylum seekers arrived in Australian waters the government and the coalition continued to blame each other.

The federal government and the coalition have continued to blame each other on the issue of asylum-seeker arrivals, as another boat arrived in Australian waters on Friday night.

HMAS Maitland, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted a boat carrying 79 suspected asylum seekers and two crew north west of Christmas Island.

Labor has urged the coalition to support its legislation to allow offshore processing at its preferred location of Malaysia and the former Howard government option of Nauru.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the boat intercepted on Friday was the sixth to arrive since Opposition Leader Tony Abbott ended talks with the government about offshore processing.

Mr Bowen said Mr Abbott's relentless negativity showed he had no qualms about putting his own political interest over the national interest.

"Tony Abbott has refused to work with the Government to implement offshore processing, even saying no to reopening a processing centre on Nauru - rejecting his own policy," Mr Bowen said.

"We've always said that without a genuine deterrent such as the Malaysia arrangement, the boats will keep coming.

"This is another boat. You can chalk this down to the negativity of Tony Abbott."

Mr Abbott said he was happy to work with Labor on the issue if the government was prepared to embrace the coalition's policies of processing in Nauru, temporary protection visas and turning boats around.

"The only thing that stops Julia Gillard embracing those policies, those proven policies, is sheer stubbornness," Mr Abbott told reporters in Brisbane.

"Julia Gillard's pride is getting in the way of putting in place policies that will stop the boats. I say swallow your pride, prime minister."

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