Kevin's Drowning Generation

A few points on some of the arguments about Kevin's Drowning Generation:

* If Kevin hates people smugglers so much, why did he give them the business incentives?

* The claim that Australia's number of asylum seekers increased 19 per cent last year compared to a world increase of 12 per cent is not really very useful, since Kev only introduced the People Smugglers' Assistance Scheme in August 2008 and doesn't address the issue of the Drowning Generation.

* The key figure is that 279 maritime queue jumpers have arrived already in 2009 (with reports of another boatload on the way) compared to 179 all last year. If this rate continues, the numbers will have tripled, thanks to Kevin's new scheme.

* The known deaths resulting so far (including an incident in January) are seven, probably nine, and possibly many more.

* If Kevin's People Smuggling Assistance Scheme continues, we can expect there will be more deaths by the end of the year.

* The Refugee Council seems to be more worried about the politics than looking at ways to prevent more drownings.

* AFP reports that 68 potential members of Kevin's Drowning Generation were arrested in a hotel at a beach resort two hours drive from Jakarta. The ABC prefers to report that they were "in the jungle" somewhere near Jakarta.

UPDATE: Five deaths confirmed in the April incident, make the total so far this year - nine.