There is concern across the crossbench that asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island in need of medical treatment will be transferred to Christmas Island.
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PM approves reopening of Christmas Island detention facilities | Sky News AustraliaPrime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the government will reopen Christmas Island detention facilities after its closure in October 2018, based on recommendations from security agencies. \n\nSpeaking in Canberra, Mr Morrison says it will deal with the ‘prospect’ of more boat arrivals.\n\nWith Independent Senator Derryn Hinch backing the medivac bill in parliament, it is all but guaranteed to pass the Senate and become law. \n\nMr Morrison says his job now is to make the ‘the boats don’t come.’\n\nImage: News Corp Australia \n\n\n\n
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Christmas Island reopened as medivac bill passes | Sky News AustraliaPrime Minister Scott Morrison has reopened Christmas Island in response to new laws fast-tracking medical evacuations for asylum seekers. \n\nMr Morrison confirmed the detention centre was being reopened in preparation for possible boat arrivals after the contentious legislation passed the Senate 36-34 on Wednesday. \n\nThe Prime Minister says the bill will open doors to people smuggling operations and ‘if they do come, you can thank the Labor Party and Bill Shorten’. \n\n\nImage: News Corp Australia \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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What does 'reopening' Christmas Island mean and why do it?The Morrison Government is attempting to turn Labor's support for the medevac legislation into a mini Tampa crisis, while stalling the push for another royal commission.
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Christmas Island criticises PM's 'knee-jerk' move to reopen detention centreAuthorities on Christmas Island question the Federal Government's decision to reopen the territory's immigration detention centre, saying it is ill-equipped to deal with refugees sent there in poor health.
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Senate passes refugee medical transfer bill 36 votes to 34The independent senator said it had been 'a very tortured 24 hours' but he would still vote for the bill.
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Senate ‘made a mistake’ in passing medivac bill | Sky News AustraliaSky News host Paul Murray says the senate ‘made a mistake’ in passing the medivac bill, the ‘same mistake’ the house of representatives made on Tuesday.\n\nThe controversial laws which passed the Senate 36 votes to 34 on Wednesday, give doctors more say in recommending medical transfers to Australia and apply to around 1000 asylum seekers currently on Manus Island and Nauru. \n\nPrime Minister Scott Morrison has reopened Christmas Island in response to the bill, which fast-tracks medical evacuations for asylum seekers.\n\nMr Murray says that when the Greens are smiling and cheering, ‘we’ve done the wrong thing’ in ‘a matter of right and wrong’.\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Govt is playing with fire over border security: Marles | Sky News AustraliaShadow Defence minister Richard Marles says there is bipartisan support for offshore processing, despite what the government claims.\n\nThe Senate has passed the Medivac bill 36-34 on Wednesday, ensuring that it will soon become law.\n\nThe legislation is designed to give doctors a greater say over whether an asylum seeker housed in an offshore detention centre can be flown to Australia for medical treatment, though still allows the Home Affairs minister to reject transfers on security grounds.\n\nPrime Minister Scott Morrison says the government will open the Christmas Island detention facilities in case there are additional boat arrivals.\n\nMr Marles told Sky News the government is 'playing with fire' over border security.\n\n\nImage: News Corp Australia\n
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