Good on you Lev for taking a stand.
Thanks Edward.
They're being led by the polling instead of taking a moral stance. But, I guess the MPs are the ones who have to get reelected... hey will decide on their policies on that basis. I do wonder if Labor should be trying to lead public opinion on issues instead of trying to follow it.
I suspect those figure that you've cited are largely correct. But as you suggest, there's little to be gained by pandering to what are effectively racist prejudices instead of trying to change these prejudices. One simple and effective tactic used by the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (which entirely funded by donations and volunteers) is to simply introduce people to actual refugees so people can hear their side of the story. Best wishes, Lev