Senior federal minister Mathias Cormann insists there will be absolutely no compromise with Labor over the way sick asylum seekers are brought to Australia for treatment. Senator Cormann says there is no need for the proposed changes as a parliamentary vote on the reforms draws closer. "There is no way to improve this bad bill," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday. "This is a bill that would weaken our border protection policies, it is a bill that would put people smugglers back into business. "We are not at all interested in weakening the current border protection policies." Under the proposed changes, the decision on medical transfers of asylum seekers in offshore dete ntion would shift from politicians and public servants to two treating doctors. A minister would be required to review cases within 24 hours and, if they reject an evacuation, an independent health panel would scrutinise their decision. The government has warned the reforms would completely undermine offshore detention and is urging Labor to drop its support. Opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese is confident the legislation will still allow immigration ministers to exercise discretion over medical transfers on national security grounds. But Mr Albanese has indicated Labor is willing to "tweak" the laws to ensure this power is clear. "So if we need to tweak the legislation then, by all means, we should be able to do that in order to get an outcome," he told ABC radio. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will receive a security briefing on the proposed changes on Monday before meetings with the shadow cabinet and Labor caucus. Immigration Minister David Coleman says the governm ent has advice showing all asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru would be sent to Australia within weeks if the changes came into effect. His opposition counterpart Shayne Neumann accused him of being a "shrill liar", saying Labor would never let people smugglers back in business by giving way on offshore processing. A vote is expected on the changes in the lower house as early as this week, with the minority coalition government facing the prospect of a loss if both Labor and enough crossbenchers support them. Australian Associated Press
Senior federal minister Mathias Cormann insists there will be absolutely no compromise with Labor over the way sick asylum seekers are brought to Australia for treatment.
Senator Cormann says there is no need for the proposed changes as a parliamentary vote on the reforms draws closer.
"There is no way to improve this bad bill," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"This is a bill that would weaken our border protection policies, it is a bill that would put people smugglers back into business.
"We are not at all interested in weakening the current border protection policies."
Under the proposed changes, the decision on medical transfers of asylum seekers in offshore detention would shift from politicians and public servants to two treating doctors.
A minister would be required to review cases within 24 hours and, if they reject an evacuation, an independent health panel would scrutinise their decision.
The government has warned the reforms would completely undermine offshore detention and is urging Labor to drop its support.
Opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese is confident the legislation will still allow immigration ministers to exercise discretion over medical transfers on national security grounds.
But Mr Albanese has indicated Labor is willing to "tweak" the laws to ensure this power is clear.
"So if we need to tweak the legislation then, by all means, we should be able to do that in order to get an outcome," he told ABC radio.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will receive a security briefing on the proposed changes on Monday before meetings with the shadow cabinet and Labor caucus.
Immigration Minister David Coleman says the government has advice showing all asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru would be sent to Australia within weeks if the changes came into effect.
His opposition counterpart Shayne Neumann accused him of being a "shrill liar", saying Labor would never let people smugglers back in business by giving way on offshore processing.
A vote is expected on the changes in the lower house as early as this week, with the minority coalition government facing the prospect of a loss if both Labor and enough crossbenchers support them.
Australian Associated Press
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