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Last updated on June 17th, 2017 at 09:37 am
Here’s John Howard’s self-mocking reply to a question about changes to Australia’s refugee policy:
JOURNALIST: If they’re long overdue Mr Howard, why weren’t they done before?
PRIME MINISTER: Well that’s a fair question. I thought you would ask it, but I suppose with the benefit of hindsight, we have to confess that that’s one of the many failings of this government of which you’ve written frequently.
And here’s how Louise Dodson and Joseph Kerr incorporate that remark in their SMH news piece:
John Howard has agreed to dramatically liberalise the immigration detention system, admitting it is “one of the many failings of this Government”.
Bowing to pressure from Liberal MPs, Mr Howard has agreed to release families with children and to offer a new deal to long-term detainees and refugees on temporary visas …
Mr Howard described the changes as “significant pieces of liberalisation” and “a good outcome for the Liberal Party”, while admitting that with hindsight the Government could have acted sooner.
“We have to confess that was one of the many failings of this Government,” he said.
