The Federal Government is forcing refugees to pay international health corporation Bupa thousands of dollars for mandatory health checks before they are granted protection in Australia.
These health checks form the final step in a protection visa application, but are extortionately expensive for people without work, low-income families, single parents, people at risk of homelessness and those who have had to wait years for their asylum applications without a proper safety net.
The Asylum Seekers Centre see the impact of this tax on protection every day. For a family of 4, the health checks can cost over $2600 – and Bupa is the only provider. Where an individual cannot pay, protection is withheld, causing government-made blockages in Australia’s system of seeking asylum.
No private company should be making money from people who have fled war and persecution. Sign the petition in calling for an end to this safety tax