The Greens should follow Willkie’s footsteps on how to achieve change on boat people

While we are watching with deep pride the performance of Andrew Willkie, MP, who brought the government on its knees over poker machine reforms, we consider this to be clear evidence on Greens lack of determination to achieve changes on issues they promise to achieve before last elections.

“Andrew Willkie, a sole independent MP, could enforce the Labor minority government to act on spiraling gambling problem” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson for Social Justice Network. “This raises very serious questions why 10 Greens MP and Senators cannot enforce the same minority government to stop attacks on asylum seekers rights”

“Andrew Willkie knows that poker machine reforms were the issues that put him in parliament. This is why he pursued this with arm and fist. And he delivered”

“In comparison, the Greens know very well that the asylum seekers issue was the most important issue that handed them the balance of power in both houses. Yet the Greens prefer to keep treating this issue as political football, with no achievement but to spread more lies and deceptions”

“The Greens leader can pick up the phone tonight and call the prime minister to warn her about deep consequencies if she pursued the same inhumane line on boat people. The result is almost guaranteed. The PM cannot gamble with her job, especially that all opinion polls indicate devastating election defeat if we go to election now”

“We have stressed for long time that the Greens treat the suffering of refugees and asylum seekers as a political football to win more votes. The Greens are happy to keep the debate so low between the two major parties, to distinguish the Greens from both. This would guarantee the Greens to keep the current high vote. The performance of Mr Willkie is clear evidence that support our claims”

If the Greens are serious on their crocodile tears on boat people suffering and fate, they should either call Andrew Willkie or Julia Gillard. They could get some consultation on how Andrew Willkie could achieve results. Alternatively, they should stress to the PM that they are serious on withdrawing support for the government if Labor insists to take Australia to third world countries’ club.

The Greens should cut the lies and either stop shedding crocodile tears on boat people. Or they should put their feet deep in sands and demand actions from PM, if she wants to keep her job for the next two years.

For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272.