Former Indi MP Cathy McGowan has used her acceptance of an integrity award as an opportunity to push the federal government to show "compassion and mercy" to asylum seekers being held in off-shore detention.
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The Accountability Round Table was presented Ms McGowan with the Alan Missen award at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday.
The award recognises MPs who make a significant contribution as backbenchers.
"In accepting this award I am calling on the Commonwealth government to reassess its position on asylum seekers," she said.
"The government should accept the offer from New Zealand and ensure those asylum seekers unable to go to the US are settled in New Zealand.
"The so-called Pacific solution is too expensive.
"It is detrimental to our relationships with our neighbours and to the moral fibre of our nation.
"Indefinite detention, particularly on the Pacific islands has been going on for too long without an end in sight."
The comments come after Ms McGowan visited Papua New Guinea last month to talk about the situation with refugees.
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"Integrity is a virtue, that all in public office should aspire to," she said.
"People of integrity know when justice, compassion and mercy are of greater service to the nation than force, fear and punishment.
"I say to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, it is time now to act with justice, compassion and mercy."
The former MP has been working with Rural Australians for Refugees since returning to Australia and the group's president Louise Redmond welcomed the comments made after Ms McGowan received the Accountability Round Table award.
"RAR calls on the government and all parliamentarians to support the Medevac legislation, and not be caught up in any deal which would work to disadvantage some of the most vulnerable people, at their time of greatest need," she said.