Australia's Christmas Island is not equipped to provide adequate healthcare for sick refugees, the territory's shire council says.
A suicidal refugee is taken to hospital from one of the detention centres on Manus Island. Photo: Facebook / Giorgio Licini
The Australian government plans to transfer sick refugees from offshore detention on Nauru and Manus Island to Christmas Island, under law passed last week.
Some opposition MPs have condemned the plan, saying the purpose of the law is for refugees to receive care on the mainland.
The president of the shire council, Gordon Thomas, told the ABC serious medical issues can not be dealt with on the island.
"We have a six bed hospital on Christmas Island. Frequently people are medevaced to Perth for treatment," Mr Thomas said.
"Women cannot give birth on Christmas Island, all child birth occurs in Perth. There's no surgery. The operating theatre was closed many years ago with some compliance issues," he said.
"Psychiatric services as well as other specialist services are provided in Perth."
The overwhelming majority of people on Christmas Island do not want the detention centre there to be reopened after it was mothballed last year, Mr Thomas said.