Medical transfer plan will give people smugglers green light, security agencies warn
People smugglers will be able to sell seats on leaky boats with the promise asylum seekers will only have to stay on Nauru until two doctors give them the green light to come to Australia, top security agencies warn.
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People smugglers will be able to sell seats on leaky boats with the promise asylum seekers will only have to stay on Nauru until two doctors give them the green light to come to Australia, top security agencies warn.
Home Affairs advice on independent Kerryn Phelps’ proposal to speed up medical transfers from offshore detention centres reveals damning concerns that the 1000 boat people remaining on Manus Island and Nauru — the majority of them single men — will be headed for Australia within weeks if Labor and the crossbench support the plan in parliament next week.
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It warns news of the change will quickly reach people smugglers who will use it to convince asylum seekers the passage to Australia has reopened.
It also confirms the Immigration Minister would be hamstrung to stop murderers and rapists entering the country.
The advice follows revelations in The Daily Telegraph yesterday that almost 900 boat people have stayed in Australia after coming here via medical transfer, using the legal system to block their return to detention offshore.
The advice was prepared by Australia’s spy agency, Border Force and the department ahead of next week’s vote on the plan which passed the Senate on the final day of parliament last year.
“In its current form (the Bill) would undermine regional processing and compromise Australia’s strong border protection regime,” the independent advice states.
“This could result in all transferees (refugees and asylum seekers) in regional processing countries being brought to Australia within a short period of time.”
Originally published as Medical transfer plan will give people smugglers green light, security agencies warn
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