Warning note for the Aus Government?

Prime Minister Scott Morrison – refuses early election

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten

It was rather an ominous start for the Liberal Party Government in Australia when it lost the vote on a bill in the House of Representatives earlier this week. The opposition Labour Party and a group of independent MPs voted for a bill moved by an independent MP that will allow doctors a greater say on the medical evacuation of sick asylum seekers held in detention centres. 

The Government was firmly opposed to the legislation, which it said would endanger national security. However, the legislation was passed with a majority of one vote 75 voting for and 74 against. The next day the Senate too voted in favour and the bill has now become law.

This was the first time in 80 years that an Australian government lost a vote in Parliament. While the then prime minister had called for a general election after the defeat, present Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected a call for a fresh election. 

It has been accepted that under the legislation, asylum seekers detained on Australia’s controversial offshore detention centres can more easily be evacuated to the mainland for medical assistance if they become critically ill.

PM Morrison has stated that the law has weakened the country’s borders and raise national security concerns. He also announced that Australia would reopen its controversial Christmas Island detention centre, which was closed late last year.

The Government has faced criticism in the past year for allowing seriously unwell detainees to linger, including a 12-year-old boy who had refused to eat for weeks.

The new law is looked upon as a clearer path for asylum seekers on the Australian offshore camps on the small island nation of Nauru or Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island to fly to Australia for treatment. It will allow doctors a greater say on the medical evacuation of sick asylum seekers.

Although the Prime Minister has ruled out calling an early election, he has told the media that a general election will be held in May after the budget on 2 April.

Labour view

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, whose Labour party is leading in opinion polls, dismissed the government’s border security concerns, saying the bill was about providing treatment to sick people.

“The Australian people understand our nation can be strong on borders and still treat people humanely,” Shorten says. “We can preserve our national security and still look after people to whom we owe a duty of care.”

Rejecting the Government’s claim that the legislation will encourage people smugglers to restart their trade and lead to more boat arrivals, the Labour Party says the rules around medical evacuations only apply to existing refugees in offshore detention, not new arrivals, and the government still has the discretion to overturn the recommendation of doctors.