Three men are dead. Dozens more bloated bodies will be found.

It’s believed 200 asylum seekers were crowded on the rickety vessel when it capsized off Christmas Island yesterday. Only 110 have been rescued, including a 13-year-old boy.

Still they come, robbed and desperate, “huddled masses yearning to breathe free”. Still we don’t know how to stop them.

Tony’s right, you know: we must stop the boats. Not at sea, but from ever leaving shore, for the toll is too great. There must be a better way. We must find it.

That is about all you can say about the latest unfolding tragedy. May politicians today feel the same.