I reckon it would be very hard to achieve a synergy or the concept of the parts the whole all working for even more productivity that otherwise the central body is capable of. Because of politics.
An illustration is the unending debate in many aspects of the Government’s immigration policy.
To paraphrase an old poet, the policy of Federal Labor and the policy of the Federal Coalition would always be apart, and never the twain shall meet.
The Government started it’s reign under Kevin Rudd by throwing out the previous government’s immigration policy about protective visa and offshore asylum processing in what was known as the “Pacific solution.”
On the surface, boat asylum seekers which had by then increasing in worrying proportion were brought outside Australia in what were known as offshore processing detention, such as in Christmas Island, Manus island or in Nauru.
At the same time, some of the asylum seekers were allowed onshore, meaning now on Australia soil under a misnomer term called “protective” temporary visa”. Asylum seekers can come onshore, but without any working or studying privilege whilst waiting for decision on each case. The “protection” is merely to alleviate congestion in asylum seekers’ detention centres.
All in all the two-fold policies under PM Howard discourage would-be boat asylum seekers even to try not only because of the perilous journey, but also because of the expectations that they will either end up in offshore detention or in Australia’s shore but with limited rights , such as the right to work, if at all,
Before its ill-fated day at the Australian Supreme Court, the Malaysian proposal was interpreted to stem off the tide of boat asylum seekers journeys. Labor had the confidence to get rid of the Howard policies, expecting that asylum seekers would never make it to Australia, and therefore no need for a greyish policy as protective visa.
But not meant to be. After the Supreme Court ruled against Labor’s Malaysian proposal for human rights issue, the Government has to eat is pride, reopening the Manus Island offshore processing centre as wave after wave of asylum seekers boat arrive,
Now and then, Labor politicians appeal to the Coalition’s cooperation on the Malaysian solution. Now and then the Coalition asked the government to bring back the Howard government’s Nauru and protective visas solution.
But looks like there will be no compromise. It’s too far off to combine the Gucci and the Ralph Lauren brands, to arrive at a better long lasting solution.
Politics.
Never shall Labor and Coalition Labels Meet
