Thread by @Kon__K

An epic thread. RT’s appreciated 🙏🏼

Debunking all the lies by #Dutton that medical transfer of sick refugees from #Manus and #Nauru to Australia poses a national security risk to Australia. #BackTheBill

I’ll go one by one through all of Dutton’s lies in plain English now:

LIE: This would be first time refugees brought from offshore without ASIO clearance to Australia.

FACT: Of the 810 sick refugees already brought to Oz under LNP Gov almost none have had ASIO clearance, most brought here by court orders within a few days and without incident.

LIE: Oz Gov would have no control over sick refugees brought here on medical advice

FACT: All would be placed in community detention which can range from guards outside a hospital room (standard practice) to being held in actual detention centre. It’s solely the Ministers call.

Also community detention arrangements cannot be appealed in a court. The Minister has sole non - reviewable discretion and can keep people detained in as restrictive conditions as they deem necessary for public safety and national security interests.

LIE: People who pose an actual threat to Australia could be brought in on medical grounds and we’d then be stuck with them.

FACT: If discovered a person posed a real threat, Australia doesn’t have to accept them, we have that discretion under Article 1F of the Refugee Convention

LIE: Sick people brought here could include people not to be found refugees that we’d be forced to accept as would Lawyer up.

FACT: A person who has no refugee claims can be deported if they don’t trigger our obligations under Refugee Convention. They have no legal basis to stay

LIE: We need to keep Manus & Nauru open to stop people seeking asylum by sea.

FACT: No evidence. Refuted by former head of Border Force. More people have been brought to Oz or US already (1260) than left on Manus & Nauru (1080) and this has not happened. So why would it now?

LIE: Bringing hundreds of men who came by sea seeking asylum to Australia would be dangerous.

FACT: There are over 15,000 men already in Australia who came by sea between 2012-2013. The massive majority are law abiding, peaceful, doing best to give back & start a new life.

Summary:

All men brought to Australia would be held in detention under full control of Minister

Any with no refugee claims can be deported once treated

Any who pose a real threat despite being a refugee can be refused right to a visa under Article 1F of Refugee Convention

It’s standard practice for the government to handcuff sick refugees held in detention when taking them to medical treatment at a hospital with armed guards accompanying. Again this is what would happen to men brought here to Australia. Minister has sole power on security here.

LIE: Men brought from Nauru and Manus to Australia will pose a high risk to Australian community.

FACT: Dutton has already released the majority of men brought here on medical grounds into the community to live as they have been consistently of good character & posing no risk.