Labor’s Steve Georganas and Liberal Christopher Pyne top SA’s list of visa backers

SOUTH Australia’s federal politicians supported more than 500 visa cases in the past year, new figures show.

SOUTH Australia’s federal politicians supported more than 500 visa cases in the past year, new figures show.

Labor MP Steve Georganas, who made almost a fifth of the representations, topped the list of correspondence made on behalf of locals with immigration concerns.

The figures were attained from Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s office by The Advertiser.

Mr Dutton this week repeatedly denied accusations his intervention and granting of two tourism visas — one for a French au pair that was detained in Adelaide trying to visit the high-profile MacLachlan family — was an inappropriate use of his powers.

Visa representations by SA politicians in 2017-18

Steve Georganas 96

Christopher Pyne 70

Kate Ellis 51

Simon Birmingham 51

Amanda Rishworth 43

Nick Champion 31

Tony Zappia 30

Nicolle Flint 25

Tony Pasin 22

Rowan Ramsey 17

Sarah Hanson-Young 15

Mark Butler 14

Rebekha Sharkie 14

Anne Ruston 12

Stirling Griff 11

Alex Gallacher 9

David Fawcett 5

Skye Kakoschke-Moore 3

Cory Bernardi 3

Rex Patrick 2

Penny Wong 2

Don Farrell 0

Lucy Gichuhi 0

Labor MP Steve Georganas, who made 96 of the 526 representations in 2017-18, said he wasn’t surprised to have the highest representations due to the multicultural make up of his western suburbs seat of Hindmarsh.

Hindmarsh MP Steve Georganas said the multicultural make up of his seat was the reason for 96 visa representations. Picture: Tom Huntley

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne made 70 representations. Picture: AAP / David Mariuz

“We always write to the minister on behalf of constituents that come to see us,” Mr Georganas said. “(We have) close to 206 different ethnicities.”

Mr Georganas said he had never asked for visas but merely that the Home Affairs department investigate the cases.

He was followed by Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, who would not comment on his 70 representations.

Both Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham and Adelaide MP Kate Ellis made 51 representations. Mr Birmingham said: “I’m just doing my job”.

Ms Ellis said she was proud to be an active local member that uses the “normal and appropriate process”.

Kingston MP Amanda Rishworth said, to the best of her knowledge, Peter Dutton had never intervened in any of her representation cases.

“This is very disappointing given his willingness to grant visas for au pairs at airports,” Ms Rishworth said.”

Kingston MP Amanda Rishworth said, to the best of her knowledge, Peter Dutton had never intervened in any of her representation cases.

Adelaide MP Kate Ellis made 51 representations. Picture: Tom Huntley

Mr Dutton, in Question Time yesterday, said he “made decisions based on the merit of each case” and accused Labor MPs of including Opposition Immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann of advocating for a visa for a convicted criminal. Prime Minister Scott Morrison backed Mr Dutton, saying he did not believe parliament was misled over the au pair scandal.

Mr Dutton avoided facing a no-confidence motion against him in parliament. Greens MP Adam Bandt moved a motion to suspend standing orders on Thursday, in a bid to force a no confidence vote against Mr Dutton.

The chamber narrowly voted down the motion 68-67.

Mr Dutton said he followed the rules in using his ministerial powers to approve visas for the au pairs and had no personal connection with the people who sought the approval.

Convoluted answer to a simple question

Analysis – Jade Gailberger

HOME Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been in the firing line for the past month as the au pair scandal, involving a French national detained at Adelaide airport in 2015, unfolded.

Mr Dutton, defending his then immigration ministerial intervention, reasoned that he dealt with more than 900 cases a year where MPs and the public asked for his help to overturn visa decisions.

The obvious questions for us was: How many of those requests were from SA and how often are our politicians asked to get involved in visa cases?

We sought to give you the answers because, as we began to understand, intervention wasn’t uncommon.

But this proved significantly more difficult than it should have.

Almost three weeks ago, The Advertiser contacted the Home Affairs Department for the 2017-18 statistics, as figures for other politicians, including Nick Xenophon had already been reported.

But after our first deadline was missed, we were informed the request had been sent to the Minister’s office.

A one-sided trail of communication followed, and we were told it was time-consuming to pull together the data.

However, by the end of the second week Labor and minority party figures arrived.

Oddly, figures for SA Coalition MPs were not available.

Yesterday we were told by a government spokeswoman that digging up Liberal party figures was not a priority, in light of the tumultuous week, as they put their resources in to fighting a “Labor smear campaign”.

Then, at the eleventh hour, the SA Liberal politicians stats finally lobbed.

Coalition MPs contacted by The Advertiser were largely silent on the issue. But the public has a right to know where MPs place their energies, what they stand for and what they are prepared to fight for. A very simple question, clearly in the public interest, should never have elicited such a complex and convoluted response.

Originally published as Labor’s Steve Georganas and Liberal Christopher Pyne top SA’s list of visa backers