A good government that lost its way somewhere in the middle of the Timor Sea

Tee hee. From the Oz's Cut & Paste: THE PM outlines a clear vision for a regional processing centre somewhere or other We're off on the road to East Timor. PM Julia Gillard at the Lowy Institute on Tuesday: BUILDING on the work already under way through the Bali Process, today I announce that we will begin a new initiative. In recent days I have discussed with President Ramos-Horta of East Timor the possibility of establishing a regional processing centre for the purpose of receiving and processing of the irregular entrants to the region. Lead the way, PM! Jill Singer in Melbourne's Herald Sun yesterday: GILLARD'S speech on asylum-seeker policy was so impressive it should put paid to any speculation that our PM's deal with the mining industry was due to beginner's luck. Her approach to East Timor for assistance was also inspirational -- and a world apart from the previous Coalition government's "Pacific solution". Timor bound. Heather Ewart reports from The 7.30 Report land on Wednesday: IT was a masterful landmark speech to the Lowy Institute in Sydney this morning with a surprising new element. Julia Gillard had said from day one of her prime ministership examining policy on asylum-seekers would be a priority. There was never for a moment the slightest hint that setting up a processing centre in the struggling nation of East Timor would be the answer. But after a round of behind-the-scenes talks with East Timor's leadership, the New Zealand Prime Minister and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, that's where Labor is now headed. Er, no, we're not. Michael Smith on ABC Brisbane's 4BC in his first (and only?) interview with PM Gillard: GILLARD: I did outline a vision, and the vision was for a regional processing centre, and that is important because it completely undercuts the people-smuggling market. Smith: So where will it be? Gillard: I'm not going to leave, er, undisturbed the impression that I made an announcement about a specific location. Smith: Where will it be then? Gillard: Well we will have the discussions and they have started already. Smith: Yeah, but where will it be? Gillard: Well, this will have to emerge from the work with our regional neighbours. Smith: So you don't know? Gillard: That's exactly why I said there will be no quick fix. Smith: Do you know where your regional processing centre will be? Gillard: Er, what I've said . . . no, what I've said is this consensus about a regional processing centre, where it would be, how it would work, all of those things would need to come out of the regional dialogue. Smith: Have you got a plan? Gillard: Well, clearly I've got a vision for what would undercut the people-smuggling trade to our country. Smith: So you've got a vision. Gillard: What is new is that I have commenced the discussions on it, and I've got the determination to get it done. Smith: You haven't answered the question though. Have you got a plan? Gillard: Well I've just outlined to you exactly what I'm doing. Smith: So you've got a vision. Gillard: Well, I've obviously got this plan about a regional processing centre and we are pursuing it through discussions and I've got a determination to get it done. Smith: You've got a plan about a regional processing centre and you can't tell me where it will be. Gillard: Well, this is what needs to emerge from our discussions with our regional partners. Paul Bongiorno on Channel 10 on Tuesday: A PROPOSAL to set up a regional processing centre in East Timor: boatpeople would be sent there and the UN would be fully involved. Paul Bongiorno on Channel 10 news last night: ON radio she insisted she's never nominated East Timor as the site. True, but it certainly was the impression everybody got.

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