Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

The parliament has already dealt with this issue. The medevac laws are working. They provide a medical solution to a medical problem, and those medical problems are faced by asylum seekers and people found to be genuine refugees and who are under Australia's duty of care. They put medical professionals rather than politicians at the centre of decision-making but with an appropriate veto power of the minister. The minister has used this power, I believe, on just a few occasions. There have been approximately 90 transfers, overwhelmingly for serious mental health issues. We know people have lost their lives on Manus and Nauru. We know that people have taken their lives on Manus and Nauru, and I remind this House that these people are under the care and responsibility of Australia.

The government's rhetoric that the passing of the medevac bill would bring hordes of boats to our shores was proven to be false, and I don't think anyone in this chamber would argue with that. It was completely false, because the bill is ring fenced around just those asylum seekers and people found to be genuine refugees who are currently on Manus and Nauru. There is no pull factor for people from other destinations. The government knew this but continued to—I would say unashamedly—play to the fears of some in our community. They even went through the incredibly extensive media stunt of briefly opening Christmas Island for the cameras, only to quietly close it again. It was an offensive display and, I believe, one of the lowest points in politics this year. It was shameful. So I say again that the medevac laws are working and Centre Alliance will not buy into attempts at playing politics with people's lives. We will remain steadfast in backing a medical solution to a medical problem, with the appropriate safeguards there for the minister.

Now, I respect that many people in this place feel comfortable talking about their faith. I would say to every person in this House who wants to repeal this legislation and who calls themselves a Christian, as indeed I do, to go and re-read Matthew 25:31-46. There is no need for me to quote the entire piece of scripture in this chamber, but Matthew 25 makes it very clear that Christians should see everyone as Christ in the flesh. In the New Testament, stranger and neighbour are in fact synonymous. The golden rule of 'love your neighbour as yourself' refers not just to the people you know—your neighbours—but also to those you do not know. And I'm sure I do not need to remind every person who follows Christ that Christ too was a refugee.

If the government is successful in repealing this legislation, it will cause much harm—needless harm, unnecessary harm. It is quite simply a wicked thing that we are doing in this place. It is unnecessary. And I will therefore, in the strongest possible terms, oppose this bill, as will my Centre Alliance colleagues in another place.

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