Easier passage for refugees as medivac bill passes

Refugees on Manus and Island Nauru will get easier passage to Australia via medical transfers, after the Morrison Government suffered a historic defeat in Parliament.

REFUGEES on Manus and Island Nauru will get easier passage to Australia via medical transfers, after the Morrison Government yesterday suffered a historic defeat in Parliament.

A last-minute deal between Labor and the Greens led to the Government losing a substantive Bill in House of Representatives for the first time since 1929.

While it was a major loss for the Government, it has given the Coalition ammunition to attack Labor over border security all the way to the May election.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has already said every boat arrival “is on Bill Shorten’s head”.

It will not trigger an early election, as it was not considered a confidence vote.

Crossbench MPs Kerryn Phelps, Julia Banks and Rebekha Sharkie got the medical transfer changes through the lower house. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

The crossbenchers who spearheaded the changes — Kerryn Phelps, Rebekha Sharkie and former Liberal Julia Banks — embraced on the floor of Parliament after the law passed the lower house.

There are about 1000 detainees on Manus Island and Nauru who will now be able to apply to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment, with approval from two doctors.

Three key changes were made yesterday, which Labor negotiated with the Greens and crossbench.

This included the Home Affairs Minister being able to block a medical transfer if the refugee has a criminal record which would expose Australians to “serious risk”; the Minister has to make a decision within 72 hours of the application; and the new laws only apply to current detainees.

Mr Morrison said contingency planning was already taking place to deal with last night’s outcome.

“I’ll have more announcements to make about the actions and decisions the Government will be taking to address the risk and the threat that Labor and Bill Shorten have created,” he said.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: Kym Smith

He played down the loss and ruled out calling an early election.

“Votes will come and they will go, they do not trouble me,” Mr Morrison said.

“At the next election, Australians will be deciding, once again … whether they want the stronger border protection policies of the Liberal and National Party, or (whether) they want the weaker border protection policies of the Labor Party.”

Opposition leader Bill Shorten rejected claims the changes would weaken border security.

“The Government says this Bill is a constitutional crisis. The fact of the matter is, this bill is about providing treatment to sick people,” he said.

“It did not give the people smugglers a product to sell them, and what we are putting in place will do nothing to change that.”

In a last-minute play, the Government produced legal advice from the Solicitor-General states that it could have been unconstitutional, but this was rejected by Labor and the crossbench after minor technical changes were made.