As a member of parliament's Migration Committee, I have consistently advocated for more humane treatment of refugees. We made good progress in the first part of this parliament and I'm proud to have helped deliver:

• Permanent protection for around 20,000 refugees - who were left in limbo for a decade by the previous government on so-called Temporary Protection Visas.
• An increased refugee intake - from 13,750 under the previous government to 20,000 today.
• The release of Australia’s longest serving immigration detainee, Said Imassi – who had been in detention for over 13 years because he was stateless. My team and I worked hard to help secure his release, following advocacy from a Wentworth constituent.

Wentworth is also a leading electorate nationwide for community refugee sponsorship, where friends and neighbours help newly arrived refugees build a life in Australia. I have been a strong supporter of the Community Refugee Sponsorship program and successfully pushed for it to be made a permanent part of our migration program.

But more recently, we've seen the major parties team-up on a series of rushed bills that limit the rights of refugees and people seeking asylum, and could see them deported to countries where their lives are put in danger.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can maintain the strong borders and laws that keep us safe, whilst treating those fleeing violence and persecution with more humanity and less fear. That's why I want to:

• End the uncertainty for 8,000 people left in limbo by Tony Abbott’s failed 'Fast Track' policy – which produced unfair and incorrect decisions, has caused extended and traumatic delays, and resulted in refugees being deported to countries where they face persecution. Read more here.
• Reintroduce the Medevac Bill - to give access to healthcare for critically ill refugees detained overseas.
• Allow people seeking asylum to lead productive lives - by allowing them to support their families and contribute to the Australian economy, unless there are compelling reasons not to (e.g. related to security).
• Prevent the detention of children - and reduce the time that people spend in immigration detention awaiting a decision on protection applications.