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Jacqui Lambie breaks down, saying vote to repeal medevac was not an easy decision – politics live | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Tasmanian senator cites national security as reason for not divulging details as Greens and Labor lash out. Plus Nationals under pressure over Murray-Darling Basin plan. Follow all the day’s political news live | |
Labor has put in a whole bunch of amendments to the medevac bill. If Jacqui Lambie continues voting with the government they may not be successful, but they will trigger a series of votes after 11am that will delay its final passage.These amendments would: | |
Require home affairs minister Peter Dutton to make a detailed report every time a refugee or asylum seeker is settled in a third country. | |
Allow minors to continue to come to Australia for psychiatric and medical assessments. | |
Continue the work of the Independent Health Advice Panel in making independent health assessments which then must be tabled in parliament | |
Stipulate that where the minister fails to make a decision about a proposed transfer, the more generous medevac provisions will continue to apply. | |
These would, in effect, soften the blow of repeal and try to set new rules to prevent the government refusing to deal with proposed medical transfers, as occurred before the medevac provisions were introduced. | |
Lambie was obviously emotional during that speech. | |
There is fury in the chamber. | |
The Greens who sit close to Lambie, heckled her throughout. | |
A Labor senator shouted “this is undemocratic” as Lambie apologised for not revealing the detail of her conversation with the government. | |
As Lambie spoke, Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher stood at the front of the chamber, in conclave, arms folded. | |
Richard Di Natale is furious. Mathias Cormann has just insisted there was no “secret deal”. But Lambie has just confirmed, clearly, that there is a secret deal. | |
Di Natale: | |
Lambie: | |
She says she cannot allow the border protection system to unravel again and have people drown. | |
Lambie is breaking down in tears as she says she still cannot explain why she has given her vote to the government. She again cites national security for her lack of reasoning. | |
Jacqui Lambie finally gets up to speak. She says the decision was not easy and apologises for taking so long. | |
She says the system is not as perfect as the activists would have you believe but not as bad as the “media loudmouths” would have you believe either. | |
Kristina Keneally points out 62% of Australians support medevac. She’s referring to this Guardian Essential Poll. | |
“Boy they don’t like hearing that, do they?” she says. | |
Keneally continues: “What you’re voting on today will deny sick people treatment,” she says. “It will deny sick people the opportunity to see a doctor and get treatment.” | |
A bit more activity at the back of the chamber. Penny Wong has just paid a visit to the Greens advisers. Pauline Hanson is also heckling Nick McKim. | |
Jacqui Lambie is looking straight ahead. | |
Nick McKim says it is a “dark day for the Senate”. But it’s darker still for those still on Manus and Nauru. | |
Pauline Hanson is repeating the fact (which we’re also seeing in a lot of newspapers) that people brought here under medevac aren’t in hospital. | Pauline Hanson is repeating the fact (which we’re also seeing in a lot of newspapers) that people brought here under medevac aren’t in hospital. |
It’s worth noting (again) that the purpose of medevac is to bring people to Australia for medical care or assessment which is unavailable in PNG and Nauru. That does not necessarily equal hospitalisation. And a lack of hospitalisation does not equal a scammed medevac. | It’s worth noting (again) that the purpose of medevac is to bring people to Australia for medical care or assessment which is unavailable in PNG and Nauru. That does not necessarily equal hospitalisation. And a lack of hospitalisation does not equal a scammed medevac. |
Hanson then says a bunch of stuff that are not facts. | Hanson then says a bunch of stuff that are not facts. |
Pauline Hanson is on her feet. She doesn’t seem perturbed about not knowing the nature of the deal between Lambie and the Coalition. Instead, she’s attacking Labor and claiming medevac repeal is wanted by most Australians. | Pauline Hanson is on her feet. She doesn’t seem perturbed about not knowing the nature of the deal between Lambie and the Coalition. Instead, she’s attacking Labor and claiming medevac repeal is wanted by most Australians. |
Katharine Murphy, who’s in the chamber, reports that a Labor interjector has given her a handy fact. | Katharine Murphy, who’s in the chamber, reports that a Labor interjector has given her a handy fact. |
“The majority of Australian support medevac, you silly woman.” | “The majority of Australian support medevac, you silly woman.” |