Sunrise chaos as Barr shuts down interview

Sunrise host Natalie Barr has spectacularly shut down a live interview with female politicians as things became very heated.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr has dumped two female politicians from a live interview after the two women had a “box on” over a immigration detainee’s alleged links with a gangland figure Tony Mokbel live on air.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume were muted and sin-binned on Wednesday morning after their bickering proved too much for the Sunrise host.

Slamming Immigration Minister Andrew Giles as the most “incompetent minister” Liberal Senator Jane Hume shouted the Home Affairs Minister was “shameless” before the entire interview was scrapped before she could be asked about her recent X-rated comment a Senate estimates.

Senator Hume told news.com.au after the program that it had been a bit of a “box on” but she looked forward to the next instalment of the weekly political cage fight.

There were firey scenes on Sunrise this morning.

Tony Mokbel links in gangland controversy

While the verbal sparring is all part of the interview on many appearances, the fed up TV host called time on the two women on Wednesday’s program as they clashed over the visa status of a man with links to Melbourne gangland figure Tony Mokbel from immigration detention.

The two women sparred over revelations the Immigration Minister is considering whether to cancel the visa of the man, who the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) allowed to stay in the country.

The AAT reinstated 51-year-old Kevin Farrugia’s visa despite the man’s extensive criminal history citing the Immigration Minister’s contentious “direction 99”, as a reason.

Mr Farrugia has more than 40 convictions to his name, including for kidnapping, drug trafficking, assault and possessing a firearm.

“This man is a convicted and known associate of Tony Mokbel and his visa was cancelled,’’ Liberal Senator Jane Hume said.

But the minister then jumped in to accuse the Liberal Party of hypocrisy for not cancelling his visa in the past.

“What is interesting is that Peter Dutton also had the opportunity to cancel this person’s visa in 2019 and that did not occur,” Ms O’Neil said.

“That is why this person is still in the country at the moment, and why he had the opportunity to go on and commit further crimes.

“I think this case actually goes right to the heart of the intense hypocrisy that we are seeing in the debate about detainees.

Melbourne gangland figure Tony Mokbel.

“You probably saw it was reported last week that while Peter Dutton was Home Affairs Minister and Immigration Minister, 1,300 convicted criminals were released from immigration detention.”

Senator Hume then interjected, “Clare, you are shameless...”

“(Peter Dutton) cancelled more than 6,500 visas. You are shameless Clare.”

Natalie Barr then asked Senator Hume to clarify whether the Morrison government had a chance to cancel it.

“I can’t answer that question. I don’t know anything about this fellow, until I found out today that...,” Senator Hume said.

“A criminal is walking our streets because of Direction 99. That I do not understand. I do not understand. But I do know that Peter Dutton as Immigration Minister cancelled 6,500 visas.”

Barr attempted to ask Senator Hume a question, however she was unable to due to the pair speaking over each other and decided to end the interview.

“You know what no-one likes the arguing. I think we will leave it there,” Barr said.

It’s understood there was also a “timing issue” with the program that required the hard exit but that the bickering among the guests provided a handy exit point.

“It was a bit of box on,’’ Senator Hume told news.com.au.

“The reason why (the man was not deported) was that he hadn’t committed a crime since 2011. So there wasn’t an opportunity to do it.”

X-rated comment

Senator Hume is also in the news for an X-rated joke to Australian Securities and Investment Commission chairman Joe Longo when she addressed the fact the pair share the same gym.

“Every time I see Mr Longo now it seems to be at the gym on Saturday mornings so I apologise for the lycra,” she said. He begins to respond before she adds, “Less worthy men have seen me in far less.”

Mr Longo responded by saying he wanted to “reassure the committee” that he wasn’t the one wearing lycra when the pair bump into one another at the gym.

“Sorry I completely forgot myself for a moment,” Senator Hume said.

The room erupted with laughter and she quickly moved on to discuss “something serious” and proceeded with the matter at hand.

Barr made it clear she was about ask about that controversy before she became fed up and cut short the interview.

Originally published as Sunrise chaos as Barr shuts down interview