MPs seek resolve to end border policy paralysis

[Jonas Profile]

MPs seek resolve to end border policy paralysis

http://www.news.com.au/national/mps-see ... 6406048517

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard will fly back into a rising border protection crisis tomorrow after her Government came under attack over its policy paralysis.

Ms Gillard has only next week's sitting of Parliament as a last chance to break the political deadlock on border protection policy before an almost two-month break.

Liberal MP Mal Washer broke ranks yesterday to call on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to accept Labor's compromise offer to re-

open Nauru and send asylum seekers to Malaysia.

But former Liberal foreign minister Alexander Downer, who was an author of the Pacific Solution plan, launched a blistering attack on the Government.

"I think what has happened in the past few years is just shameful," he said.

"Labor changed policy for political reasons. They paid an appalling price for changing that policy."

An angry Mr Downer said Labor should immediately reinstate the Pacific Solution.

border policy Labor does not have one except to roll out the red carpet and run up the white flag

[Jonas Profile]

Abbott sticks to Nauru asylum solution

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/ab ... 6406249448

FEDERAL Opposition leader Tony Abbott said today the Coalition was willing to sit down with the Government and discuss the political impasse on asylum seekers, but he would not be budging on new legislation.

"It doesn't really matter whether Julia Gillard and I talk about this, what matters is that the Government put the right policies in place," Mr Abbott said in Sydney.

Liberal backbencher Mal Washer and Independent Tony Windsor have both called for a compromise on refugee policy.

Mr Abbott said he had not been approached by the Government for talks to break the deadlock, but even if they did, the Coalition would be sticking to the Howard Government's Nauru policy