Petros <Petros.Listig@fdrive.com.au> wrote:
Why are "stop the boats" a main concern for all, for every election campaign, while most of us barely will meet a boat-person himself?
Unfortunately, the slogan and the policies behind it appeal to a certain proportion of the electorate. I don't understand why that's the case; there may be a sociologist or a political scientist who can explain why this issue resonates with a certain kind of voter. However, the central point is this: both Labor and the Coalition want to appeal to these voters. There are, of course, voters who are strongly opposed to inhumane refugee policies. As one political scientist observed, though, these people predominantly vote for the Greens anyway, so they and their views aren't considered relevant by either the Coalition or Labor. I haven't put numbers on the above: a little searching would find surveys, perhaps even more rigorous studies, revealing what proportion of voters support these policies, how many don't care/aren't interested, and how many are opposed. None of this justifies the inhumane policies in any way; I'm simply providing a plausible explanation of what motivates the major political parties in this area.