Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll continue from where I left off last night, speaking against the repeal bill that's before us. These political battles—the debate we're having right now on the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019—are all playing out within a prism of fear that has trapped our politics for decades, and this government has shown no real leadership on this front. They continue an approach that is based on cruelty, and they are intent not only on allowing the status quo to go on and on and on indefinitely but even on reversing what little gains can be made by this parliament. But there is another way. We don't need to be trapped by fear. As a country, we can move past this. The medevac law was, and is, a first step in that new direction—in moving forward without fear. History has shown us the way forward. There are signposts to guide us out of this minefield.

In the 1970s and 1980s, when Australia welcomed refugees from South-East Asia, the vast majority came by plane after having their claims processed through regional agreements. I know it is possible to have a humane approach to people seeking asylum and to refugees. I know it's possible to end the division and the fear. I know it's possible to avoid having people being exploited by people smugglers. And all these goals are not mutually exclusive. I know that even beyond these goals Australia can be a global leader in response to the global refugee crisis. We just need that coordinated international effort, and we need to play a part in leading that effort. We can forge a better way forward.

And why? Well, because it's the right thing to do. It's our role to help end and alleviate suffering for millions, and to do that good on the global stage is inherently good, as a public good. But it's also because that by doing so we serve our own national interests—those national interests that are so important to us: to live in a region and a world that is safe and secure. If we want to live in that world, if we want that world, we must move beyond this toxic, fear based debate and step up and lead.

Lastly, I just want to say that there is no reason for the government to continue on this chosen path of fear. There is another way. They say we passed the medevac law here because we wanted to defeat the government. How cynical. No: I say to those on the government side, we passed this law back in February because we wanted to provide medical care for people who needed it, for people who are in our duty of care. And when Australians look back on this time they'll ask that question. Why are we having this debate now? And they will say that we should have been better than that. I believe that we are better than that and can be better than that.

Debate adjourned.