Ex-Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg sets sights on career in politics
He was sacked as the head of Australia’s Border Force, but on the eve of launching a “tell-all” book, Roman Quaedvlieg reveals he was approached to run as a candidate in Peter Dutton’s home state of Qld. A move he hasn’t ruled out. EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT
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Sacked Australian Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg was approached to run as a candidate at the last federal election, and is still open to a career in politics.
Breaking his silence two years after he was fired from his role for allegedly helping his girlfriend get a job, Mr Quaedvlieg reveals his concerns with the Federal Government’s push for new national security powers and why he would never vote for his former boss Peter Dutton to become Prime Minister.
Ahead of the release of his “tell-all” book Tour De Force on Tuesday, Mr Quaedvlieg told The Sunday Telegraph he misses the contribution to public service and has a desire to come back.
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“You don’t realise how much it was part of your DNA until you are no longer able to commit to it,” he said.
“I was quite happy in that role because public servants at a senior level with credibility and experience have a significant influence on policy decisions and I was quite happy with the level of influence,” he said.
“After I left the role I was approached by a couple of different entities to see my level of interest, and I declined at the time but it’s not a rejection that is in perpetuity necessarily,” Mr Quaedvlieg.
The former Border Force boss wouldn’t reveal who made the approaches or whether he would run for the upper or lower house.
But two senior Labor sources told The Sunday Telegraph the opposition had internal conversations ahead of the 2019 poll about whether Mr Quaedvlieg would make a good candidate in Mr Dutton’s home state of Queensland where Mr Quaedvlieg served in the Queensland Police for 15 years.
After leaving Border Force, Mr Quaedvlieg faced intense personal attacks from his former boss Mr Dutton who used parliamentary privilege to accuse Mr Quaedvlieg of having “groomed” Sarah, a younger woman who became his girlfriend. In his book he revealed his deep offence at the term and how he fired off an angry text to Scott Morriosn for backing his minister.
“He (Dutton) knew full well the implication of that word, which was disgusting to both Sarah and me,” he said.
Mr Quaedvlieg told The Sunday Telegraph Mr Dutton, who unsuccessfully challenged for the prime ministership, lacked the “breadth and depth of experience that potential prime ministers should possess”.
”I don’t think he’s got that...I don’t think it’s a natural fit for him.”
“I personally wouldn’t vote for him for Prime Minister.”
In an exclusive extract from his book, published in today’s Sunday Telegraph, Mr Quaedvlieg admits he was frustrated by the “inconsistent handling” of his case compared to that on then- Deputy Prime Minister Baranaby Joyce who left his wife for his pregnant staffer. He claims the allegations leveled at him “pale in comparison to Joyce’s actual admitted behavior”.
Highly experienced in national security having served as chief police officer in the ACT and helping implement Scott Morrison’s signature national security policy of turning back boats, Mr Quaedvlieg is critical of the Morrison Government’s push for new national security powers which would allow ASIO agents to question 14-year-olds and the Australian Signals Directorate to monitor Australians.
“What worries me is that we are putting forward propositions for enhanced powers and different capabilities and we are not having the open and transparent conversations about the extent of those powers and what will be used to put in place to ensure that they are tempered, moderated and checked,” he said.
“Where is the consultation? Where is the healthy and combust debate?”
Tour de Force is available from Tuesday, read an exclusive extract in today’s Sunday Telegraph.
Originally published as Ex-Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg sets sights on career in politics
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