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Labor trails coalition in latest poll

Tony Abbott on the bridge Navy patrol boat HMAS Maitland in Darwin / Picture: Ray Strange Source: The Sunday Telegraph

Ahead of the Coalition's official campaign launch, which is being held in Brisbane today, the Coalition has floated a policy for people smugglers and Australians who harbour illegal immigrants to face automatic jail terms under minimum sentences in the Migration Act.

Tony Abbott has made the asylum seekers issue one of the key themes of his campaign for election on August 21.  The campaign is scheduled to begin at 11.30am (AEST).

But Mr Abbott's time in the spotlight could be stolen by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who returns to Labor's national campaign today in marginal seats in Queensland.  He will campaign in Brisbane and is then expected in Gladstone.

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Results: Asylum seekers

This poll is closed.

Whose plan do you prefer on the asylum seekers issue?

• Tony Abbott's 74.68% (1796 votes)
• Julia Gillard's 12.27% (301 votes)
• The Greens' 8.14% (192 votes)
• I don't care 4.91% (122 votes)

Total votes: 2411

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Mr Rudd and Prime Minister Julia Gillard held a tightly-controlled meeting in Brisbane yesterday, their first since Mr Rudd was turfed from office on the eve of the election campaign.  Ms Gillard then fended off an ambush from former leader Mark Latham at Brisbane's Ekka.

She is hoping to get her campaign back on track in Darwin today, announcing more funding for chaplains in schools.  She made an announcement on pensions yesterday.

Mr Abbott largely resisted the temptation to put the boot into Labor as the drama unfolded, saying only that he would leave the government's "soap opera" to play out on its own.  Mr Latham is at Mr Abbott's launch today.

The Sunday Telegraph has reported Mr Abbott will also announce he will match Labor's commitment to provide a $500 advance on the baby bonus.  Ms Gillard made that announcement at the start of last week - although the Rudd factor ensured the main attention went elsewhere.

People smugglers

The new laws on people smuggling would create minimum jail sentences of 12 months to 10 years.  The most serious offence of aggravated people-smuggling, in which there was exploitation or danger of death, would attract a minimum sentence of 10 years, a non-parole period of seven years and a maximum of 20 years in jail.

The same would apply to repeat people smugglers and those using false documents.

Lesser offences of people-smuggling, supporting people-smuggling, and concealing or harbouring non-citizens would carry a minimum sentence of 12 months and a maximum of 10 years in jail.

"Existing penalties are clearly not acting as a sufficient deterrent for those tempted to become involved in the people-smuggling trade.  The boats keep coming," Mr Abbott has said.

"No minimum or non-parole period applies to those convicted of the crimes of people-smuggling, supporting people-smuggling, and concealing and harbouring non-citizens."

Ms Gillard has called the changes "modest".  She has said Labor had toughened people-smuggling laws, including measures against people who assist them.

"That big crackdown package was done in May," she said on ABC TV.

Mr Abbott has promised to return to processing asylum seekers' claims offshore and restoring Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) if the Coalition is elected.

He met with the President of Nauru yesterday in Brisbane to talk about reopening the detention centre on the island, which was set up during the "Pacific Solution" of the Howard government.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also backed offshore processing, but Labor does not want to return to Nauru.  Instead, Labor is in talks with East Timor to set up a regional processing centre there - although those talks have stalled over whether East Timor can support such a centre.

Labor will not return to TPVs, which some experts have found to be damaging to asylum seekers because their status is regularly reassessed.  Opponents of TPVs say that prevents genuine refugees from settling into life in Australia, instead keeping them in fear of being sent back to the country they fled.

The Greens want asylum seekers to live in the community while their claims are assessed.