Transcript
The bill's passage marked the first time a government had lost a legislative vote in parliament since 1929.
The prime minister Scott Morrison told the house the bill would erode offshore detention as a deterrent to those seeking asylum in Australia by sea.
"And they do it trying to kid themselves that this is being done in the name of humanitarianism. Well, I remind them that their humanitarianism as supposed last time led to child deaths, it led to the total destruction of our borders and it took the strength again of a coalition government, Mr Speaker. The people of Australia will remember this day and know that this is now on your head, leader of the opposition."
The opposition leader Bill Shorten said the bill upheld Australia's duty of care to people it detains while not damaging border security.
"I believe that we can keep our borders secure, we can uphold national security but still treat people humanely. We can have strong borders while still fulfilling our duty of care to the people in our care, and I note... in closing the government has referred in its debate why they think this, our proposal should be opposed is they talk about character. In fact, this bill and our amendments are about Australia's character. It's about how we trade sick people in our care."
6000 Australian doctors supported the bill through a petition organised by Sydney GP Sara Townend.
Dr Townend says doctors can see healthcare available to refugees is deficient.
"It's increasingly clear from media reports, but more importantly from the growing number of federal court cases, from a coroner's inquest into one of the 12 deaths and from the testimony of our colleagues who've worked on the islands that the whole system is broken and in particular the ability of a doctor to transfer their patients for medical care, which as a country that has a small, rural, scattered population over massive distances, we would consider an essential part of normal care."
For years, doctors, advocates, refugees and clergy have reported mental health crises among children detained on Nauru and men on Manus, where suicide attempts and self harm are said to be a daily occurrence.
Manus refugee Benham Satah says a man suffering from untreated stomach ulcers is now under suicide watch by his friends.
"So yesterday he attempted to hang himself but his friends stopped him. He was sent to PIH for treatment. They gave him some sedation and sent him back to his room without any support. Then he did sell harm in his room. They sent him to the hospital because it was nighttime. They gave him another.. you know sleeping tablets and sent him back to his room. He doesn't talk with anyone, he hasn't eaten for past four days. I asked some of the guys to keep eye on him when he wakes up so he doesn't do anything wrong but... we don't know."
The government has responded by announcing the reopening of its detention centre on Christmas Island, a tiny Australian territory 3000 kilometres from the mainland.
