Mark Dreyfus’ shameful bullying stems from government’s own failures in detainee debacle

Smug and arrogant on a good day, Mark Dreyfus was clearly rattled by a series of questions over his government’s own failures in the detainee debacle, writes James Morrow.

It’s fair to say that not since the days when Scott Morrison struggled to answer questions about the experiences of women at Parliament House has a government found itself so under water with the press gallery.

And at least back in those heady days, the PM fronted the press himself.

Instead, with the government struggling to manage the story around the 141 immigration detainees set free by the High Court (three already picked by the cops) and why they failed to plan for this eventuality, the ministers responsible fronted the media.

To borrow a phrase, it did not go well.

Under repeated questioning from a press gallery that had clearly lost its patience with the government, ministers refused to answer even basic questions about how many of the released detainees had committed murder.

Under fire.... Immigration Minister Andrew Giles. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Seemingly clutching at straws, Immigration Minister Andrew Giles simply gibbered on about making applications before the court.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil reverted to her usual strategy when pressed and went through a laundry list of grievances against the Coalition, even bringing up the Morrison family’s ill-timed trip to Hawaii.

Under fire... Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Quite an exercise in deflection to be sure, but the true leader of the pack in what can only be called a race to the bottom was Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

Smug and arrogant on a good day, Dreyfus was clearly rattled by a series of questions including whether he anticipated that when he began his legal career he anticipated that one day he would assist in writing laws that attempted to pre-emptively detain someone on the basis they might one day commit a crime.

“If someone buys a Ferrari, could they be arrested for pre-emptively …” the reporter asked, though he was cut off before listing all the various fun ways one could land in trouble behind the wheel of an Italian supercar.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil Immigration Minister Andrew Giles hold a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

But it was another question to Dreyfus – would he apologise to those affected by deeds committed by those released – that caused him to lose it.

“Do not interrupt,” he yelled, jabbing his finger at the young female journo in a way that would have led to accusations of misogyny and bullying had it been committed by a male Coalition frontbencher.

“I will not be apologising for acting in accordance with a High Court decision. Your question is an absurd one!”

Quite.

Two further points need to be made here.

One, there was always a risk that Australia’s indefinite detention regime would be struck down, yet the government appeared to have been entirely unprepared for that eventuality.

Two, Dreyfus himself backed in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s intervention in favour of the Myanmar refugee who served his time for raping a ten year old but couldn’t be sent back to a country that didn’t recognise him.

Perhaps this explains why the Attorney-General was so cross.

And just maybe instead of lashing out at journalists just doing their job, he should take a look in the mirror and wonder if there is someone else to blame for this mess.

Originally published as Mark Dreyfus’ shameful bullying stems from government’s own failures in detainee debacle