PAPUA GUINEA (Commonwealth Union)_The Greens will use the first day of parliament to submit legislation that will allow asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru and Papua New Guinea to be evacuated immediately.
The measure would allow around 150 persons who are still on Nauru and PNG to live in the community in Australia until they are transferred to a third country, as long as no unfavourable security assessments have been made against them.
Those who are evacuated will also receive medical evaluations and treatment if needed.
Greens senator Nick McKim stated that the bill was expressly crafted to be consistent with Labor’s immigration programme.
“We’ve crafted this bill precisely to be in line with Labor’s position so they can support it,” Senator McKim said.
“The last ten years have been one of the darkest and bloodiest chapters in our country’s history, and it’s time we finished it.”
Greens senator Nick McKim stated that the bill was expressly crafted to be consistent with Labor’s immigration programme.
“We’ve crafted this bill precisely to be in line with Labor’s position so they can support it,” Senator McKim said.
“The last ten years have been one of the darkest and bloodiest chapters in our country’s history, and it’s time we finished it.”
Since the Gillard-Rudd Labor governments implemented the policy a decade ago, any asylum seeker who attempted to enter Australia by boat has been barred from ever being resettled in Australia. Labor attempted to avoid another election campaign centred on immigration by remaining substantially in lockstep with the Coalition on asylum seeker policy during the federal election.
It has, however, pledged to providing a path to residency for thousands of migrants who are currently in Australia on temporary protection visas and are unable to work or study.
Senator McKim observed that while in opposition, Labor supported the Greens’ “medevac bill,” which permitted asylum seekers to be brought to Australia for urgent medical care.
He stated that this bill will allow the government to operate “in the same spirit of cooperation” to complete the goal.
“These people have been exiled from Australia for ten years in violation of our commitments under the refugee convention, and they should be brought here so they can be properly cared for,” Senator McKim said.
“If the administration is serious about recovering our worldwide brand and the credibility of our democratic institutions, they must surely support this legislation.”
Behrouz Boochani, a refugee and journalist who was held in offshore detention and later in the Manus Island community for six years before being resettled in New Zealand, is set to visit the federal parliament for the first time this week, as the country approaches the tenth anniversary of its offshore detention policy.
