The above question is a simple one, perhaps, but not one the government appears to be capable of answering.

Yesterday in Dili the East Timor Parliament voted down Australia’s proposition to build a refugee processing plant, unanimously passing  a “take your plant and shove it where the sun don’t shine” motion rejecting Julia Gillard’s plan.

But the Australian government last night insisted that plans for a processing plant were kind of, sort of, definitely on track, arguing that only around half of East Timor’s MPs were present to vote and that the vote “does not reflect the East Timorese government position.”

To make matters more confusing, Gillard also insisted last week that she never actually cited East Timor as a definite location, though the language she used wasn’t exactly crystal clear (“I’m not going to leave undisturbed the impression that I made an announcement about a specific location”).

What’s the real reason asylum seekers can’t come to Australia? As Mungo MacCallum wrote in yesterday’s Crikey:

The official explanation is that they (asylum seekers) cannot be allowed into Australia because that would give them access to the Australian legal system, and the possibility of justice, clearly an unthinkable concept in the current climate. But the real reason is much simpler: the anxious voters of Lindsay wouldn’t like it.

And this doesn’t mean that they’re racists or rednecks; good heavens no. What it does mean is that they’re extremely ill-informed, and it would be too much trouble for sensible and decent people to persuade them otherwise. We’ll just let the real racists and rednecks encourage them to swell the ranks.

So what on earth is going on? Is there going to be an East Timor Solution or not? Are the ghosts of Rudd’s communication incompetence haunting Gillard or is everybody getting worked up over nothing?

One thing is for certain: this hasn’t gone smoothly for the government. Here’s what the commentariat are saying:

The Australian

Joe Kelly: East Timor’s parliament rejects Gillard plan for regional asylum-seeker centre

East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao last week allowed his own party to join in a unanimous condemnation of the plan in parliament.

Australian officials were due to go to East Timor this week for negotiations over a potential centre after receiving conflicting signals from Dili about its support for such plans.

ABC News

Smith backs asylum plan

The Federal Government is standing strong behind its proposal for a refugee processing centre in East Timor, despite the East Timorese parliament rejecting the idea.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said she is interested in coming up with a regional solution to asylum seekers, with the possibility of establishing a processing centre in East Timor.

The Age

Michelle Grattan, Tom Allard and Daniel Flitton: Timor MPs vote ‘no’ to asylum bid

The Dili Parliament’s move confirms the widespread opposition in East Timor to the plan, although President Jose Ramos-Horta has been given the task of negotiating with Australia.

The president of East Timor’s Parliament, Fernando ”Lasama” De Araujo, said the resolution ”shows that we reject our country becoming a rubbish place for refugees”.

Daniel Flitton: Middle finger may yet become thumbs-up

East Timor’s Parliament may have given Julia Gillard a diplomatic version of a middle finger, but don’t be surprised if that eventually turns into a big thumbs-up for Labor’s asylum seeker plan.

East Timor has embraced democracy with all the vigour and venom that you’d expect after a long struggle for independence. Local politicians are proud, precocious and unruly – and party discipline is nothing like it is here in Australia.

Sydney Morning Herald

Phillip Correy and Tom Allard: Push for refugee centre will continue despite East Timor rejection

The parliamentary resolution, which called on the East Timorese government to reject the proposal, was passed unanimously by those present, further embarrassing the Australian government, which announced the plan only last week in a bid to shut down asylum seekers as a political issue.

Gerald Henderson: Before moving forward, have a look in the rear-view mirror

The exaggerated, and sometimes intolerant, comments by opponents of asylum seekers are a matter of public record. But asylum-seeker advocates, who inflate figures and fudge history, do not help the cause of rational debate.

The Canberra Times

Danielle Cronin: Timor setback as PM eyes poll

East Timor MPs rejected yesterday Julia Gillard’s plans for a regional refugee processing centre to be established in their fledgling nation as the Prime Minister strongly indicated an election could be called within days.

The blow from East Timor’s Parliament to Ms Gillard’s credentials on asylum-seekers came as yet another illegal entry vessel was intercepted in Australian waters on Sunday night, taking to 77 the tally of boats in 2010.

BBC News

East TImor parliament rejects Australia refugee plan

The overwhelming rejection of the so-called East Timor Solution is a huge setback to Julia Gillard’s plan.
East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta has said he is open to the idea as long as it is a temporary stop for people before they are resettled in other countries.