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Features Australia

Some boats shouldn’t be turned back

Gough Whitlam demonised the Vietnamese boat people. We should be welcoming them to our shores.

30 May 2015

9:00 AM

30 May 2015

9:00 AM

Reports that an Australian naval ship, HMAS Choules, has secretively returned about 50 Vietnamese boat-refugees to Da Nang in Vietnam are, if true, so far beyond shocking one is left at a loss for words.

If true, it is one of the blackest stains imaginable on the honour of Australia. One can only hope there is some context that has not been made public.

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Hal Colebatch was a winner of last year’s Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

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