Evidence heard during the medevac inquiry made an overwhelming case for keeping the legislation in place, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“The evidence heard during this inquiry made it clear – medevac has saved lives,” Senator McKim said.

“The government’s refusal to transfer sick people from offshore detention to Australia under previous arrangements caused death, mental anguish and untold suffering among refugees and people seeking asylum.”

Australian Greens Immigration Spokesperson Nick McKim has been ordered to leave Manus Island on the sixth anniversary of the commencement of indefinite offshore detention.

“The veil of secrecy continues to surround Australia’s detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru,” Senator McKim said.

“As a member of the Australian Parliament it is my duty to examine the conditions in which Australia’s detainees are being kept.”

“This has been six long years of cruelty and deprivation.”

“The mental health of detainees is at an all-time low.”

Reports that the Australian Government plans to bring the children it is detaining on Nauru to Australia by Christmas removes any excuse to keep people in offshore detention, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“The warped logic of offshore detention is crumbling around the major parties. There is now no excuse not to end offshore detention and conclude this dark chapter in our country’s history,” Senator McKim said. 

Five years of offshore detention is five years too long, Greens Immigration Spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“There are many hundreds of people still suffering on Manus Island and Nauru because of Labor’s cowardice and the Liberals’ cruelty,” Senator McKim said.

“There are children who were born in offshore detention who have spent their whole lives in exile.”

“Labor locked them up, and the Liberals threw away the key.”

“How much longer must people suffer before the bipartisan cruelty of offshore detention is stopped?”

The death of person who sought asylum in Australia but was exiled offshore for five years is a another bloody stain on Australia’s national conscience, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“This is yet another life lost due to our country's cruel and inhumane refugee policies," Senator McKim said.

"This tragedy was entirely predictable, yet the Liberals and ALP remain in cruel policy lockstep.”

“Australia’s offshore detention system has been a humanitarian calamity and one of the darkest chapters in our country’s story.”

The government's ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is welcome but the inspection regime must include Australia's offshore detention system, Greens Justice Spokesperson Nick McKim says.

"The government's decision to ratify OPCAT is an important and welcome human rights decision," Senator McKim said.

"It has the potential to improve conditions in, and oversight of, prisons and places of detention across Australia."

Peter Dutton trying to move his Manus Island prisoners to Nauru is a cruel and unfair move which reeks of panic and desperation, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“The men on Manus Island have suffered long enough, yet Dutton wants to take them out of one frying pan and straight into another one,” Senator McKim said.

“Amnesty International says the conditions in Dutton’s Nauru prison amount to torture – it is clearly not a suitable place for people seeking asylum.”

The government's confusion over the US refugee “deal" is creating further anxiety and uncertainty for people who have already suffered for far too long, Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim says.

"While the government argues with itself over whether or not this is a people swap, there are men, women and children suffering in Australia's inhumane detention centres due to the ongoing uncertainty," Senator McKim said.

"This 'deal' was apparently signed more than three months ago, yet not a single person has been resettled in the United States."

The four companies that have expressed an interest in multibillion-dollar government contracts for detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru should be aware of the reputational harm  of being associated with policies of cruelty and harm.

A Senate estimates question on notice from Australian Greens Immigration spokesperson Nick McKim revealed Serco, Decmil Services, Canstruct and Ostwald Bros have expressed interest in taking over the major contract for Australia's offshore detention centres.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has confirmed that the US is not obliged to accept a particular number of refugees, or indeed any, under the terms of its "deal" with the Australian government.

"We  learned today that the agreement provides no certainty whatsoever for the men, women and children that Australia has detained on Manus Island and Nauru," Greens Immigration spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.