Bill Shorten pours doubt on Christmas Island medical transfers

Bill Shorten casts doubt over whether any will go to Christmas Island for medical treatment, despite government plans.

Bill Shorten says he doubts whether refugees will be sent to Christmas Island for medical treatment. Picture: Gary Ramage

Bill Shorten continues to say it would be “fine” for sick refugees to be sent to Christmas Island, despite backlash from his own frontbenchers on the reopening of the controversial detention centre.

Labor frontbenchers appeared to contradict the Opposition Leader earlier this week with deputy leader Tanya Plibersek saying she doubted it had the capacity and frontbencher Richard Marles saying the reopening was “silly.”

Mr Shorten said refugees could go to Christmas Island “if there’s some marvellous hospital” there but poured doubt on whether any sick refugees would be sent there at all.

“The idea that they’re all going to be sent to Christmas Island for medical treatment — I mean, do you believe that? I’m not going to get distracted by it,” he told ABC radio.

“If they think that they can provide the best possible treatment, I’m not a doctor, I’m going to be guided by the doctors.

“If there’s some marvellous hospital on Christmas Island, well then that’s fine if they can go there and get the treatment.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek appeared to be at odds this week with Mr Shorten over Christmas Island. Picture: Kym Smith

Home Affairs department secretary Michael Pezzullo confirmed in senate estimates this week all refugees would initially be processed on Christmas Island.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said last week that the Christmas Island processing decision was due to the 19 mainland detention centres closes by the government since the boats have stopped, and it was already a contingency plan for if Manus or Nauru overflowed.

Mr Shorten also said it was “fine” to send refugees to Christmas Island last Tuesday, which led to a public split in the party.

Ms Plibersek said on Wednesday: “I frankly can’t understand — and it really is up to the government to explain — why if a person cannot be properly treated on Nauru or Manus Island or Port Moresby, that they somehow can be properly treated on Christmas Island.”

Mr Marles said on Wednesday: “The whole discussion around Christmas Island from this government is silly … At no point in those 900 people coming here (for medical transfers before the medivac bill), did they (the government) feel it necessary to send any of them to Christmas Island to get treatment.”