Fed: time not right for simplistic shift on boatpeople - Gillard

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2001
Fed: time not right for simplistic shift on boatpeople - Gillard

CANBERRA, Dec 20 AAP - The time was not right for a simplistic change in Labor's policy
on boat people, opposition immigration spokeswoman Julia Gillard said today.

Earlier, fellow frontbencher Carmen Lawrence called for a change in the controversial
policy, saying the party's supporters expected a more compassionate approach.

But Ms Gillard said the time was not right.

"I don't think it's a time for a simplistic shift in policy," she told ABC radio.

"I think it's a time for debate, a full debate, within the party, a debate which involves
the community on what our policy should be in all sorts of areas, of which this is one."

AAP dep/daw/cjh/sb

KEYWORD: BOAT GILLARD

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