Opened the debate
Shoebridge supported the bill, stating it would reinstate the Medevac legislation that facilitated life-saving medical transfers in 2019. Shoebridge argued that the current offshore detention regime denies adequate healthcare to nearly 100 people in Nauru and around 40 in Papua New Guinea, many of whom have been held for over a decade. Shoebridge cited evidence of widespread physical and mental illness, including a rare psychiatric condition affecting one in four children, which he described as a response to intolerable detention conditions. Shoebridge emphasized that Australia retains responsibility for these individuals under international law, referencing a recent UN Human Rights Committee ruling. Shoebridge urged the Labor Party to support the measure, arguing that restoring Medevac would provide hope and address the humanitarian crisis caused by previous government decisions.