Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator McKim, move:

That the Senate:

(a) notes:

  (i) that, on 12 September 2018, it was reported that in June 2018, lawyers representing the Department of Home Affairs argued in court against bringing to Australia a pregnant woman suffering female genital mutilation (FGM) in detention on Nauru for a surgical abortion,

  (ii) that whistleblower allegations, reported in August 2017, that Australian Border Force (ABF) impliedly facilitated a change in policy to require requests for abortion to be referred to the Nauruan Overseas Medical Referral (OMR) committee and the Republic of Nauru Hospital, which have opposed all abortion referrals since, and

  (iii) the specific medical needs of women in detention with unwanted pregnancies, including the associated post-traumatic stress and physical risks for women suffering FGM; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) reverse the recently introduced process which requires all requests for terminations to go before the OMR and the Republic of Nauru Hospital,

  (ii) require ABF to take decisions which are underpinned by Australian medical standards, and

  (iii) stop arguing in court to prevent pregnant women needing specialised medical attention from receiving that attention in Australia.

I seek leave to make a short statement.