— this is my rough, back of the envelope political design fiction; an attempt to envisage a positive outcome out of a nightmarish scenario that is #auspol currently under the leadership of Chairman Rudd

Background:

The PNG Government are now accepting the refugees from Sri Lanka, Iran and Afghanistan that have been making the perilous journey by boat from Indonesia to Australian waters, seeking asylum.

Rudd has basically bribed PNG with the promise of money, aid, infrastructure etc to help him win an upcoming election. Removing the formerly right wing opposition party leader Tony Abbott’s chief attack by going even further to the right by completely clamping down on Australia’s borders and literally offshoring the problem to a former satellite colony, that is still part of the same Commonwealth (previously trading as British Empire).

Rudd probably thinks that it’s all for the Greater Good. He’s correct that having Abbott leading the country would be a disaster. He is almost certainly becoming the greater monster in the process. The attentive may observe that he’s changing his party’s rules today to prevent a repeat of his ousting. Trust him.

Australia’s remaining left wing party, the Greens are justly attacking Rudd’s solution with all their liberal democratic might. Arguing for the dream of a fair Australia etc etc liberal utopia. And attacking PNG in the process because it’s reintroduced the death penalty and criminalized homosexuality and is very, very unliberal.

The Greens are acting like the nationalistic boomers they are led by. They need to watch some GoT and grok that change occurs at the edge of the Empire.

Scenario:

Instead of blocking Rudd’s plan, the Greens use their balance of power, something they’re likely to maintain, to perform some political Aikido.

What if a special economic and political zone was created in the PNG? Instead of the economic exploitation of Oz taxpayers who are funding this and benefit of Serco Group, who have already cashed in on the Pacific Solution.

What if the asylum seekers were able to immediately contribute to their new home? Instead of just being a revenue source.

These so-called economic migrants are fleeing from horrible persecution in their home countries but are bringing their education and training with them, along with bad memories. Memories which could be best exorcised by getting to work, rather than being locked in camps imprisoned with their nightmarish flashbacks.

There is an opportunity here to leapfrog a country to the edge of the future. Google is ready to help, they said they want somewhere just like this.

This could be the liberal utopia the Greens dream of. It could turn around and inspire Australia itself to change.

You never know ‘til you try. The world is only getting more chaotic. We need to try new things. We need to stand in the gap between a better world, or the one that’s being built by default.