Yesterday, the Medevac legislation was repealed in the Australian Senate by a margin of 37 to 35, in yet another shockingly disappointing display of inhumanity from the Australian Government and the Senators who supported them.
This comes at the end of a year in which we’ve seen the Government attempt to attack Australian workers and their families, refuse to act on climate change in the face of devastating destruction of parts of the country by bushfires, and a continuing neglect of elderly Australians.
The Medevac legislation had been working; lives were being saved through the appropriate action of government provided health care for those who needed it, as assessed by qualified medical and health professionals.
We can now be certain that lives will be endangered, in exact opposition to the Government’s original stated intention of off-shore detention – to save lives. We can also be certain that it will be nurses, midwives, doctors and other health professionals who will have to pick up the pieces.
We will, of course, continue to provide the very best care we can, and we will not give up on the fight for humanity and dignity for all, especially those less fortunate than us who desperately need Australia’s care and compassion not Australia’s condemnation.
