Ex-border force boss says Dutton intervened in third foreign nanny case

HOME Affairs Minister Peter Dutton intervened in a third au pair case for a Brisbane friend, according to an explosive new claim by the former boss of the Australian Border Force.

HOME Affairs Minister Peter Dutton intervened in a third au pair case, on behalf of a Brisbane friend, according to an explosive new claim by the ­former boss of the Australian ­Border Force.

The Herald Sun understands that Roman Quaedvlieg yesterday sent a second submission to a parliamentary ­inquiry, standing by his first claim that Mr Dutton’s chief of staff had told him an pair needed help on behalf of the minister’s “mate in Brisbane”.

But Mr Quaedvlieg now concedes he likely named an incorrect date, alleging the conversation occurred in relation to another case, from or after October 2015.

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Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Mr Dutton has denied any personal connections to cases of him intervening to stop au pairs from being deported. And he accused Mr Quaedvlieg of writing “false, misleading and clearly ­defamatory” allegations in his first submission to the Senate inquiry.

Mr Dutton said Mr Quaedvlieg’s original claim — that he (Mr Quaedvlieg) ­received a phone call from the minister’s chief of staff Craig Maclachlan in June 2015 about an Italian au pair’s case, was “fabricated”. Mr Dutton said that Mr Maclachlan did not begin working for him until October of that year.

It is understood the new submission by Mr Quaedvlieg doubles down on his original claim, but now says the phone call happened at a later date.

A spokeswoman for Mr Dutton said yesterday: “Mr Quaedvlieg has lost his credibility, and his statement today has no more validity than his (first) fabricated statement. He should provide the detail of the case to which he refers.”

Mr Quaedvlieg was forced out of his role in March over allegations he helped his girlfriend get a job in the Australian Border Force, putting him in conflict with Mr Dutton.

Former Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg. Picture: AAP/Mick Tsikas

Greens MP Adam Bandt has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanding Mr Dutton be dismissed, claiming the minister has misled parliament over the au pair saga.

In March 2018, Mr Dutton told parliament he could “categorically rule out any personal connection or any other relationship” with families who were hosting the au pairs.

It has since emerged that the Italian au pair who Mr Dutton saved from deportation had stayed with Mr Dutton’s former Queensland police colleague, Russell Keag.

A spokeswoman for Mr Dutton said the minister “100 per cent” stood by his statements in parliament.

“He hasn’t spoken with ­either individual regarding these matters before or since these matters were first raised,” the spokeswoman said.

“Adam Bandt has hated the minister over border protection. He is using the visa issue as a proxy for that agenda.”

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