What Australian papers say today, Saturday, Dec 8, 2001

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2001
What Australian papers say today, Saturday, Dec 8, 2001

SYDNEY, Dec 8 AAP - Australia's absolute right to control who comes to her shores,
as asserted by Prime Minister John Howard during the election, may be possible no more,
The Sydney Morning Herald says in its editorial today.

Sophisticated people-smuggling networks are making borders more and more difficult
to police, as seen in the recent spate of boat arrivals off Australia's north coast.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has conceded that the policy of preventing boat
people from landing, then transporting them to isolated Pacific Islands, "may not be sustainable".

The Herald says: "With so many desperate people willing to take considerable risks
using people-smuggling networks, Australia may be forced to concede that the absolute
control Mr Howard promises is no longer possible."

Next week, the Geneva conference of the UNHCR may point the way towards "more realistic,
and humane, solutions for all nations".

The Age backs Victorian Premier Steve Bracks' call for an increase in Australia's immigration
levels.

The need for a more comprehensive migration policy has also been recognised by the
chairman of Victorian Major Events, Mr Steve Vizard, and the chairman of BHP Billiton,
Mr Paul Anderson, it says.

Mr Anderson warned last Tuesday that "without policy change, Australia's population
would begin to decline in about 25 years".

The Age also says economic arguments for expanding migration are compelling.

"According to Access Economics, there is a $49-million increase to Australia's bottom
line over five years for every 1,000 business migrants who enter the country, and a $3.1-million
increase every year for every 1,000 skilled migrants."

The Australian says its columnist Philip Adams' column in the wake of the terror attacks
highlighting the "mad" situation in the US and level of violence there affronted a US
citizen enough to spark a complaint to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

"The only victim," the paper says, "is the Australian public, whose right to full and
frank opinion, debate and even the facts is being undermined by an encroaching culture
of secrecy among our public institutions."

The government has placed gags on news about our troop activities in the war on terror
and access to asylum-seekers.

Bureaucrats quote outrageous bills for processing Freedom of Information requests.

"Other ploys, such as labelling documents `commercial in confidence' or `cabinet confidential'
are cynically used to keep the workings of government secret," it says.

"The people's right to know demands a united defence from those on the front line:
media groups, civic groups, lobby groups and citizens," the Australian says.

Just as Osama bin Laden must be brought to justice, so too must Mullah Mohammed Omar,
leader of the Taliban, "for giving succour to terrorists", The Australian Financial Review
says.

But this can be best achieved if his Afghan sympathisers feel they are not going to
be left to deal with the messy war aftermath, it says.

The US must show it is committed to peacekeeping -- preferably by troops drawn mainly
from Muslim countries -- otherwise Afghanistan's history of tribal warfare is almost certain
to repeat itself.

the Herald Sun says.

The Herald Sun applauds Reserve Bank governor Ian Macfarlane for warning CEOs not to
down-size at the first sign of trouble.

With Australia's economy growing annually at 2.6 per cent - five times that of major
OECD nations - there is no justification for excessive job shedding, it says.

"Excessive job shedding will only contribute to slowing the economy, making it a self-defeating
tactic.

"The reality of downsizing is trauma and insecurity for families, whose plans for the
future are thrown into chaos when mum or dad loses their job.

"Every position axed equals thousands of dollars which will not be spent."

The NRMA has entered a new round of internal squabbling that has already cost members
$67 million since 1994, The Daily Telegraph says.

The directors, instead of pursuing personal vendettas, should work towards providing
better, cheaper services, it says.

Also, ASIC should broaden its inquiry on the use of proxies to include the activities
of NRMA directors who have failed to adequately represent the best interest of members,
it says.

AAP rs

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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