This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/dec/04/coalition-nationals-umurray-darling-basin-pisa-results-gdp-economy-medevac-lambie-politics-live
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 4 | Version 5 |
---|---|
Medevac repeal bill passes after Jacqui Lambie votes with Coalition – politics live | |
(32 minutes later) | |
‘Cruel, heartless’ deal provokes outrage from refugees, Greens and Labor as deal described as ‘dark day’ for Australia. Plus Nationals under pressure over Murray-Darling Basin plan. Follow all the day’s political news live | |
The New Zealand government has refused to confirm whether they have recently been approached by the Australian government on the Manus deal, only reiterating that the offer remained live. | |
“The offer to take 150 refugees is still on the table” immigration minister Iain Lees-Galloway said in a statement to the Guardian. | |
In November last year, the New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, reiterated her government’s offer to take up to 150 refugees after a weeks-long standoff at Manus Island detention facility led to a desperate humanitarian situation for the remaining detainees. | |
New Zealand has made the same offer to the Australian government since 2013, but it has been strongly and repeatedly refused. The Australian home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, described it as a “bad option” and suggested it may encourage people-smuggling boats to intensify their efforts to reach Australia. | |
There is a precedent for New Zealand accepting refugees that Australia does not want. In 2001 Helen Clark’s Labour government offered asylum to 130 refugees who were rescued from the Tampa after it sunk off the Australian coast.Twenty of the 130 asylum seekers were young boys and adolescents, and became known as the “Tampa boys”.Abbas Nazari ,23, a Tampa refugee who resettled in New Zealand, recently won a Fullbright scholarship to study in the US. He says the country welcomed him with open arms. | |
“I can’t recall any instances of racism, and that’s the same experience for the vast majority of my family and community,” says Nazari. | |
“We wove naturally into the fabric of New Zealand society. So when I hear stories of prejudice and racism, I know for sure that it exists but my experience in New Zealand has been amazingly warm and welcoming.” | |
Reactions are flowing thick and fast after that vote. Shamindan, a refugee still in Papua New Guinea, said it was a “very dark day” that would allow politicians to deliberately deny medical care to those who need it. | |
Anthony Albanese said “you can be strong on borders without being weak on humanity”. | |
Richard Di Natale said it was clear someone had lied about the deal struck between Lambie and the Coalition. He just held a press conference: | |
Amnesty International Australia has described it as a “shameful day” for Australia. Advisor Graham Thom said: | |
Although one Labor amendment was voted on (to continue the medevac process for those with existing applications), I’m advised the rest weren’t circulated in time so the gag motion effectively prevented them being voted on. | |
Jacqui Lambie leaves the chamber alone. She walked past Stirling Griff and Rex Patrick, without making eye contact. | |
The medevac repeal bill is passed 37 votes to 35. | |
This is effectively the end of the medevac laws. | |
As they vote, Centre Alliance senator Stirling Griff has sent us this statement: | |
We’re now up to the final vote on this bill. | |
This is it. We’re expecting the repeal bill to be passed. Division in progress. | |
Lambie is voting against this amendment and it is defeated by one vote. | |
That’s a pretty grim forecast for the rest of Labor’s proposed amendments. | |
We’re currently voting on an amendment to allow people already in the medevac process to remain in the medevac process. Seems sane. Let’s see what our Senate thinks. | |
Pauline Hanson is shepherding Jacqui Lambie through these divisions. | |
At the moment, Lambie is penned between Hanson and the Liberal frontbencher Anne Ruston. It must be pretty intense, sitting between Hanson and Ruston right now. | |
We’re now into a series of votes on the second reading of the medevac repeal bill. | |
Labor is attempting now to move its amendments. The amendments are unlikely to be passed, but if they are, the bill will need to return to the lower house. | |
Kristina Keneally is using the amendments to call for government backbenchers “with some semblance of a beating heart” for support. | |
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: | 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. | 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. | 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 | 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. | 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. | 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. |