Labor's tide in and out on boats

Once upon a time, but not so long ago, turning around boats was Labor's policy; a policy Laborites were happy to talk to Australian voters about in 2007.

Today, however, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd sensationally claims that Tony Abbott will cause a conflict with Indonesia because the Coalition believes in safely turning around boats.

Is Rudd just trying to distract voters from Labor's broken border protection policies, or does he suffer from severe memory loss?

The facts are clear. In 2007, Kevin Rudd promised he'd turn around the boats on at least three occasions.

"You'd turn them back," he told The Australian (November 23).

"If they're out there in the high seas, what you would do is seek to turn them back through the agency of the Australian Navy," he told Radio 2GB's Sydney audience (July 12).

"Labor's policy" he said, "is that if people are interdicted on the high seas, then these vessels should be turned around" (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, February 23).

Yes, "these vessels," he stated.

So, in the spirit of accountability, I'd like to know: Is Kevin Rudd patronising Australians, or suffering from severe memory loss? As voters, we have a right to know.

In any case, and according to the PM's own logic, Labor's stated policy could have led to confrontation with Indonesia.

What's more, Labor is left with another problem. In addition to the free advertising material Kevin Rudd has generously given Liberal TV, his ministers won't be able to avoid scrutiny.

Take the new Immigration Minister Tony Burke. Like Kevin Rudd, he has a long history of flip-flopping, due once again to severe memory loss, or what I call Labor Alzheimer's.