2018-04-30
Today’s withdrawal of International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) as the Australian government’s health provider on Manus Island will mean further erosion of crucial health support for refugees and people seeking asylum in Papua New Guinea, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim said.
"Health supports for detainees on Manus island have never been at an acceptable level, but it now seems inevitable that the humanitarian catastrophe will worsen with increased risk of further self-harm and mental illness," Senator McKim said.
"Minister Dutton is claiming that there is a new health provider but won’t reveal who it is and what level of services it has been contracted to provide. What is he trying to hide?"
"There are many hundreds of people on Manus Island and in Port Moresby who have been harmed and traumatised while in Australia’s offshore detention regime."
"They deserve better than Mr Dutton attempting to wash his hands of responsibility."
"The only way for Mr Dutton to fulfil his duty of care to Australia’s Manus Island detainees is to bring them to Australia where they can be supported to recover from the harm."