The ASRC's Detention Policy Casework Lead Heidi Abdel-Raouf has accused the government of attempting to shelve its responsibilities.
"The Australian government has tried to abdicate their responsibility for the refugees and the people seeking asylum to the PNG government. However, they cannot absolve their responsibility and their duty of care to these people who they banished to Papua New Guinea more than eleven years ago. And so, the refugees are so unwell, the Australian government must medically evacuate them to Australia for urgent medical treatment. But in the interim, the refugees and their families must have access to safe accommodation, medical care and food."