The decision to repeal Australia’s medevac laws was the hardest I’ve ever had to make in my political career.
In the end, I decided to support it. Not for nothing. I did it because I thought, on balance, that medevac gave me leverage to get people out of offshore detention. To let them move on with their lives, after years of limbo.
That’s what I told the PM. I told him to show some humanity and get those people off those damn islands.
I ended up negotiating an agreement with the government I couldn’t disclose.
For years, I held up my end of the agreement.
Yesterday, the government held up their end.
I have tried to keep calm throughout this process. I’ve tried to remember that any level of frustration, anxiety, disappointment or anger I was feeling about this taking forever, those asylum seekers were feeling at levels I couldn’t even comprehend.
I was told if I disclosed the terms of the deal, there would be no more deal.
I don’t believe that was said out of malice.
The United States resettlement agreement was still going when I negotiated with the Morrison Government. And because not everybody who was eligible for resettlement with the United States program would definitely qualify for the New Zealand program, I couldn’t speak out, in case asylum seekers who had a spot in the US deal would turn it down in the hope of taking the New Zealand option.
It took longer than I wanted it to.
New Zealand was going into its own election at the time and they were nervous about who they’d be accepting. They needed to do their own assessments. That took time. And because of COVID and border closures, it took a lot of time.
I agreed to repeal medevac in exchange for an end to offshore detention. An end which, when secured, would mean we wouldn’t have a need for medevac.
I stand by it.
It won’t restart the boats. It won’t keep costing the taxpayer. It will put a line in the sand.
I’m grateful we got there in the end. And I hope this means those asylum seekers can get back to living their lives. Finally there’s some light at the end of the tunnel.