REPEAL OF MEDEVAC

SENATOR THE HON KRISTINA KENEALLY.
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4 years ago
REPEAL OF MEDEVAC
SENATOR THE HON KRISTINA KENEALLY
Today, the Morrison Government cut a secret deal with Senator Jacqui Lambie to repeal Medevac – leaving sick and vulnerable people on PNG and Nauru without these lifesaving provisions, and leaving the Parliament, the media and Australian public in the dark.
 
Australians have a right to know what deal has been negotiated between Scott Morrison and Senator Lambie as well as the details of any such deal.
 
Cabinet Ministers in the Morrison Government voted to repeal Medevac without even knowing the details of the secret deal.
 
Without the full details of a secret deal, Australian don’t know if a deal has been done that will see the boats start again, or if refugees will be left in PNG and Nauru indefinitely or if it’s just more empty promises from Scott Morrison.
 
When people’s lives are at risk, there is no time for secret deals and political games like this.
 
The fact remains, the only reason Medevac was ever needed was because Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton refused lifesaving medical transfers for sick people.
 
Their heartless decisions saw 12 asylum seekers and refugees die – and countless other people left sick, scarred and disfigured – on their watch.
 
Labor believes Australia can have strong borders without losing our humanity. This is why Labor worked with crossbenchers in the last Parliament to pass the lifesaving Medevac provisions. 
 
Regrettably, a secret deal was made today and those provisions were repealed by the Government.
 
During the time in which Medevac was law, there were no deaths in offshore processing. If there are any serious injuries or deaths after the repeal of Medevac, it’s on the conscience of the Morrison Government.
 
Immigration and Border Protection