FAMILY MUST STAY

I want to voice my concern that our government seems to have little faith in the Australian Navy, even when assisted by the Indonesian navy, to turn around a few leaky fishing boats.

Do we have to wait another four decades for new submarines to do this?

To make this the justification of a process and tactics reminiscent of a third world totalitarian regime in the treatment of the Murugappan family from Biloela beggars belief!

The experience of others shows that this family, regardless of the circumstances of the parents arrival, face unimaginable horrors should they be deported.

Yes the lives lost at sea was a tragic episode, and the current legislation, however poorly enacted, has been an effective deterrent for the past 10 years.

Would that suddenly be totally undermined by one act of compassion?

A decision by the relevant minister at his discretion, is clearly allowed by this legislation.

A decision for this family to stay, as we have heard, based on 30 years of numerous precedence, is obviously an appropriate and deserving case.

It may seem counter intuitive but justice and compassion can coexist within the one entity.

The only possible reason this government is continuing with this malicious treatment of two Australian born girls and their parents, has to be fear of losing face.

John Langlois Penna