Addressing Misinformation as Churches Call for the Medevac Legislation to Remain
Australian Church leaders have called on the Senate to keep the current Medevac Legislation in place.
A briefing paper released today by the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce and the National Council of Churches in Australia aims to address the misinformation and confusion being peddled by sections of the media and politicians about the Australian Government's official processes for refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia and those in offshore detention.
The Churches' paper puts the Medevac legislation in the context of a timeline of complex and confusing Government policy changes since 2012. "The Government policy changes and long-term detention of refugees and people seeking asylum has caused the very critical and unmet medical and health needs that the Medevac legislation is addressing" says Rob Floyd, Chair of the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce and Associate General Secretary of the Uniting Church in Australia's National Assembly.
"We welcome the fact that the medical evacuation program is saving lives and reducing misery and we thank the members of Parliament who continue to support this important humanitarian initiative of the last Parliament. Refugees and people seeking asylum have a human face" Mr Floyd says.
"The medical transfer program has saved lives"
