Majority of those polled in Peter Dutton’s and Tony Abbott’s electorates back the move

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Almost 60% of voters support the recently passed medevac bill to more easily get critically ill people access to medical care, a new poll has revealed.

The poll, conducted on Thursday, also found majority support in the electorates of both Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott, and overwhelming support among undecided voters.

The polling was done by uComms for GetUp, and asked 1,796 voters their thoughts on the bill and how it would affect their vote in the federal election.

Overall 40.3% said they strongly supported, 19.4% supported the passing of the bill and 3.4% had not decided. Support was higher among women and older people.

Across party lines the bill had the support of 90.4% of Labor voters and 94.2% of Greens voters, and just over a quarter of Coalition voters.

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One Nation voters and those aged 18 to 34 most strongly opposed the bill.

The bill, which is yet to become law, ensures that any person on Manus Island or Nauru who was sent there under Australia’s offshore processing regime and who needs medical attention in Australia can be transferred on the recommendation of two doctors.

If the minister seeks to refuse the transfer on medical grounds, the recommendation must be assessed by an independent panel within 72 hours, but the minister can still refuse a transfer on security grounds.

Participants were also asked: “If a refugee is ill in an Australian-run offshore detention camp, do you agree or disagree that doctors should be able to transfer them to Australia for medical treatment?”

It received similar support across the demographics, including 59.6% of people aged over 51.

GetUp’s human rights director, Shen Narayanasamy, said the government’s rhetoric onthe bill was a push for a “Tampa 2”, but one which was failing to draw votes.

“Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton’s slogans and scare campaigns are turning off voters, and a huge number of previously Liberal voters are seeking a more humane approach to border security,” she said.

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“The political orthodoxy that humanity towards people seeking asylum is electorally unpopular is complete bunk and politicians spruiking it are out of touch with the national electorate, and likely to be tossed out in seats across the country.”

The poll also spoke directly to people in the Warringah electorate of former prime minister, Abbott, and the Dickson electorate of current home affairs minister, Peter Dutton.

Both are hardline opponents of the bill and are for tough measures deterring asylum seekers from travelling to Australia by boat, including the continuation of offshore processing.

In Warringah 57.3% of voters supported the bill, again with higher support among women and older people.

It found 83.8% of people who supported the high-profile independent challenger for the seat, Zali Steggall, also supported the bill. Only 17.5% of Liberal voters in Warringah supported it but more than 23% said they would be more likely to vote for someone who “struck a balance between strong borders and humane treatment for people in offshore detention”.

The poll also questioned people’s voting intention “if a federal election was to be held today”, finding Abbott would lose to Steggall on two-party-preferred votes, 43-57.

Abbott’s highest support was among older constituents, the same demographic who supported the medevac bill in higher proportions.

Among the small proportion of undecideds, the largest proportion had a “slight leaning towards Abbott, but 86.8% said they would preference Steggall higher.

In Dickson, Dutton’s predicted results were similarly negative, where Labor challenger Ali France took 52% of the two-party-preferred vote.

Although he had slightly more support in decrying the medevac bill, more than half of his constituents – 52.9% – supported it.

The bill’s passing last week represented a historic defeat for the Coalition government, and was quickly followed by an escalation in partisan rhetoric.

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, announced Christmas Island detention centre would be reopened at a cost of more than $1bn as a result, and accused Labor of weakening Australia’s borders.

In Senate estimates it was revealed that the government’s policy for the new law was that sick people would be brought to Christmas Island first and then to the mainland if needed. Christmas Island’s local council has said it does not have facilities for complex treatment, or even childbirth. No baby has beem born on the island in 20 years.

Independents and Greens accused the government of subverting democracy and denying the parliament’s intent in passing the bill.

The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said he had no problem with people being sent to Christmas Island first: “If the medical treatment is delivered … on Christmas Island and it makes people well, that’s fine.”



