[Swagman]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-17/australia-to-cut-aid-to-fund-asylum-seeker-costs/4432606

The Federal Government has confirmed it is planning to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from foreign aid programs to fund costs associated with processing asylum seekers on the Australian mainland.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr says $375 million from the foreign aid budget will be used to pay for food and other costs for asylum seekers being processed in Australia.

He says the Government gives aid to refugee camps in Africa, and there is no reason some of that should not be spent on asylum seekers in Australia.

"It's absolutely fair and it fits OECD guidelines for the expenditure of aid money," he said.

"Spending money on refugees who've landed on Australian soil is as valid as spending it on refugees who are in refugee camps around the world."

Senator Carr says the same thing happens in the United States, Canada, France and Sweden.

A consequence of Swan's budget surplus promise undoubtedly.

Carr is doing well to spin it however I for one totally agree with this policy line.

I feel it also demonstrates in a practical way the concept of queue jumping. A concept that some detractors of tough border protection policies argue doesn't exist.

[HoniSoit]

Processing asylum seekers in the community is much cheaper and far more humane.

[AVT]

Well we have the UNSC seat now so we can stop pretending.