Rudd no friend to refugees

Comments on Paul Kelly “Rudd's softer stance mugged by reality”, 17/10/2009, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26220271-12250,00.html

Essentially Rudd is no different from Howard on refugees, isn't it?
Howard was pacific solution and Rudd is Indonesia solution.
Howard offered money to Nauru and Rudd to Indonesia.
What about any refugees caught in the middle? Their fate is not a bit different - one is in Nauru the other is in Indonesia. Both are bribes, only the target countries are different.
Of course Rudd is showing something different, but purely in form and to be seen as different. No difference in substance.
Will the result be any different? It will probably be not much.
So is Rudd better or softer towards refugees? Unfortunately, the answer is no.