PAIGE TAYLOR, SIMON BENSON and GEMMA JONES
From: The Daily Telegraph
July 23, 2013 12:00AM
More asylum seekers arrive at Smiths Point, Christmas Island / Pic: Colin Murty Source: DailyTelegraph
KEVIN Rudd's honeymoon appears to have ended.
Voters are turning back to the Coalition with the PM's faltering PNG solution for asylum seekers taking water and a backlash over changes to fringe benefits tax which have already cost jobs.
The latest Newspoll, revealed exclusively in The Australian, has Labor falling two points from the highs it enjoyed on Mr Rudd's return, to now trail the Coalition 48 to 52 on a two-party preferred vote.
Mr Rudd's much-vaunted personal approval took a hit, with his better PM rating falling from 53 per cent to 50.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott rose three points to 34.
The results will dishearten Mr Rudd's campaign team who were expecting the momentum to continue to build for Labor.
However, it appears voters have marked down Mr Rudd on his controversial plans to send asylum seekers to PNG and changes to FBT rules for cars, to help pay for his promise to dump the carbon tax.
Senior Labor strategists had said that if Labor had not pulled ahead of the Coaltiion this week it could prompt a rethink about an early election.
FURY OVER 'UPSETTING' ANTI-IMMIGRATION AD
THE REAL LOSERS OF RUDD'S PNG PLAN
WHY RUDD'S ASYLUM PLAN IS HALF-BAKED
EARLY ELECTION CALL? NOT ANY TIME SOON
POWERFUL AGENDA AT LABOR CAUCUS
PETER COSTELLO - LABOR GIVETH AND TAXETH AWAY
Labor's primary vote dropped a point to 37 per cent, while the Coalition's regained three points to firm at 45.
The Greens lifted one point to 10 per cent, well within the statistical margin of error.
The concerns about Mr Rudd's asylum solution continued last night with revelations the cost of the first year of operation of an expanded Manus Island camp could exceed $1 billion. And it appeared people smugglers are testing Mr Rudd with fears as many as 10 boats could be on their way.
The expected influx comes as a vessel overdue at Christmas Island was found by Australian rescuers with 30 passengers safe and well.
Four boats carrying more than 250 people have arrived since Friday, but only single adult men can be sent to PNG immediately, with families to remain in Australia until facilities are ready, which could take until next year.
A group of 15 Vietnamese people asked to be returned home from Manus Island at the weekend, with the Australian government to give them hoes, wheelbarrows, shovels and $300 each to encourage them to remain in Vietnam as farmers and not attempt to sail to Australia again.
It comes as there was renewed questioning of the two-page agreement with PNG, which provided the Pacific country with a blank cheque to resettle refugees.
In the past week other documents related to government spending include a 35-page paper on a request for new TVs for senators' offices and a 16-page paper to justify a quote for two electric guitars for the Department of Defence.
The government is yet to release the cost of the PNG plan - but just expanding existing Manus Island facilities to run a processing centre for 3000 asylum seekers is expected to cost up to $1.1 billion in its first year of operations.
That is before the cost of resettlement, which could cost up to $15,000 per person, and the expensive promise to help the third world country rebuild health facilities and to fund a new university system.
The costs, drawn from the Immigration Department's own contract estimates of operating processing centres, suggest the expansion of Manus Island from 600 detainees to 3000 would incur an initial cost of $600 million.
Operational costs of managing a centre of that size could be as high as $480 million a year, according to recent departmental contracts for running offshore processing centres.
Immigration Minister Tony Burke yesterday said the cost would be less because temporary facilities such as tents would be used.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill appeared to contradict Mr Burke, claiming he would demand a permanent facility
Turn back the votes - Kevin Rudd slipping in the latest electoral polls | thetelegraph.com.au
