The Government Is Being Accused Of Leaking An Asylum Seeker’s Medical History
"A shocking breach of ethics."
Proving there is always a new low we can sink to in Australian politics, the government is being accused of leaking details of an asylum seeker’s botched penis enlargement to the media. As far as medical transfers go, it’s an easy case to sensationalise.
The Iranian man apparently received swelling, discomfort and limited function after injecting palm oil into his penis, and was flown to Australia weeks ago under our medevac laws.
Before we go any further — guys, do not inject things into your dicks. Please, PLEASE do not do this.
The medevac laws were introduced so that critically ill refugees and asylum seekers could be transferred to Australia for medical treatment. Under the medevac laws, two doctors must sign off before an asylum seeker or refugee can be taken to Australia for medical care, so you can be confident it’s a serious necessity.Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton can refuse to allow some asylum seekers to enter the country, but only under very strict guidelines.
The thought of someone being flown to Australia for genital reconstruction has had actual dicks like Peter Dutton jumping up and down with outrage.
Peter Dutton IS a botched penis enlargement.
— D5vid Chalmers (@ActualChalmers) November 18, 2019
So the issue isn’t really about why people are being transferred, or about national security. Instead, people are asking how this man’s confidential information was leaked.
Is it not a crime to access and publish the medical records of a patient without their consent @QldPolice @StevenJMiles @AnnastaciaMP
— Trish Shumack (@shumack_trish) November 16, 2019
Dr Kerryn Phelps, one of the architects of the original legislation, called the leak a shocking breach of ethics.
“The important question is this: Given the limited number of people with access to confidential medical records, who breached this patient’s privacy and leaked a selective part of a medical history to a journalist in an attempt to score a cheap political point against Medevac?” she asked.
“Bear in mind that the minister approved the medically-recommended transfer of this patient.”
What a joke.
It wasn’t #MedEvac that let in the penis guy – it was the Home Affairs Minister. IOW Peter Dutton.
Without Dutton’s say-so it could not have happened.
Where’s your voice, @AlboMP?
— 💧Alistair P D Bain (@AlistairPDBain) November 18, 2019
The laws have been the target of plenty of fear mongering, with Dutton claiming the government would have no control over criminals entering the country. This is despite the legislation clearly stating that the minister can veto any arrival on national security grounds — a power he has used several times already.
Regardless, the story has been reported as “a sensational example” of how broadly the laws are being applied by doctors, because apparently they can’t be trusted to decide when a person needs urgent medical attention. Even though, y’know, a botched penis enlargement does sound quite serious.
That’s not to mention the fact that 12 people have died in our offshore detention centres, some from much less serious injuries. In 2014 Hamid Khazaei, 24, died after a minor leg infection went untreated and became septic.
Palm oil injection in the belief of penis enlargement is a reasonably common tradition in PNG. Health services there are ill-equipped to deliver education suggesting otherwise. If you think it’s ridiculous, maybe we should stop sending the world’s most vulnerable people there.
— Kath Angus (@kathangus) November 16, 2019
The medevac laws were passed in February despite strong opposition, a historic loss for the government which was only possible because they were in a minority at the time.
In suspicious timing following the leak to the media at the weekend, the Senate is due to vote on a bill which would abolish the medevac laws this month.
With the Senate deadlocked, crossbencher Jacqui Lambie holds a crucial swing vote, but is yet to announce where her support lies.
Last month a committee, mostly made up of Liberal Senators, recommended the medevac laws be abolished, despite receiving 93 public submissions in favour of the laws and only two against.