David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019, also known as the medevac repeal legislation, and to express my emphatic support for the passing of this necessary bill.

As we know, in February of this year the provisions moved by the former member for Wentworth, in collusion with Labor and the Greens, established an entirely new framework for the transfer of transitory persons who are detainees from regional-processing countries to Australia solely for the purpose of providing urgent medical treatment. This law was rushed through parliament, and passed with the support of Labor and the Greens at a politically opportune time. It's worth noting that when they had this opportunity, they didn't pass laws for Australians. They didn't create new jobs or put up more funding for hospitals, education or the ABC—their favourite little pet project. The consequences of the medevac law—