According to Shadow Environment minister Tony Burke, Labor will only support the transfer of sick refugees in offshore detention to Christmas Island if they can access ‘appropriate’ medical care there.
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said: ‘I frankly can’t understand – and it really is up to the Government to explain – why if a person cannot be properly treated on Nauru or Manus Island or Port Moresby, that they somehow can be properly treated on Christmas Island’.
Shadow Defence minister Richard Marles has described the proposed reopening of the controversial detention centre as ‘silly’.
Shorten questioned whether there was ‘some marvelous hospital’ on the tiny island where people could get the ‘best possible treatment’.
Source: The West Australian
Comment:
Reading between the lines:
- The alleged ‘refugees’ must be dehydrated. Tony Burke usually comments on matters where his policies have led to a water shortage.
- Plibersek’s thinks that Africa is a country, so it’s not surprising she has trouble understanding that Christmas island is part of Australia.
- If Marles felt the need to comment, it probably signified that ASIO’s warnings were more serious than we thought.
- Finally, Bill Shorten’s chief concern is that illegal aliens get the ‘best possible treatment’ in Australia. Better than Maribyrnong or Wentworth