Peter Dutton shuts down Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s call he didn’t request security briefings over caravan plot

Peter Dutton rubbished Labor’s claims the Coalition did not request security briefings over what has now been revealed as a “fabricated” caravan terror plot.

Peter Dutton has doubled down on his attack of the Labor government’s handling of the “fabricated” caravan terror plot, saying claims the Opposition did not seek briefings on the incident were “utter nonsense”.

His comments come after police confirmed that a dumped explosives-laden caravan in Sydney’s Dural was actually orchestrated by known criminals, and was not intended to cause a mass casualty event.

The Opposition Leader also lashed Mr Burke’s comments that he was making “demonstrably untrue” claims on national security before being briefed by security agencies.

Mr Dutton said in repeated briefings with security agencies, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, it was not mentioned that the incident could be a ruse.

“We requested a briefing on the 22 January. We requested everything about a week later. At no time during those briefings on my discussions with the director-general of ASIO including on February 18, was there any mention of a hoax,” he told reporters.

Tony Burke accused Peter Dutton of spreading “demonstrably untrue” claims of the terror plot, without seeking advice from security agencies. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The thought that we didn’t request a briefing is a complete and utter nonsense.”

He also reiterated demands for Anthony Albanese to state when he was told by security agencies of the “hoax,” criticising Mr Burke’s comments as a “home goal” for Labor.

“I just think Tony Burke here is trying to find political opportunity out of a national security issue, and frankly, should stand condemned,” he said.

Mr Burke has repeatedly attacked Mr Dutton for making “outrageous claims” which “stoked fear”.

“In this case, when Peter Dutton kept providing the exact lines and the exact narrative that organised crime was wanting to be out there, we kept responding by reminding him that briefings were available,” he told the ABC.

“He wanted to make sure that he could stoke the most fear. And in doing so, he was running the exact script that organised crime wanted him to run.”

Mr Burke said Mr Dutton needed to apologise to the Australian people over his comments about the ‘fabricated’ terror plot. Picture: NewsWire/ John Gass

Following Monday’s revelations, the Coalition’s home affairs spokesman James Paterson maintained it was necessary for the government to share when Mr Albanese was briefed.

“Organised crime concocting terrorism plots targeting the Jewish community is an extremely serious matter,” he wrote on X.

“National security ministers and the PM should have been promptly briefed, as the NSW Premier was. The government must now explain whether they were, and if not, why not.”

On Monday, police said the Dural operation was allegedly conceived by known criminals and done to stoke fear and Picture: NewsWire/ Damian Shaw

Speaking to media on Monday, AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett labelled the caravan ploy as “a criminal con job,” and warned those found responsible “will face the full experience, capability, and dogged determination of terrorism investigators”.

“What organised crime has done to the Jewish community is reprehensible and it won’t go without consequences,” she said.

Authorities will continue investigating the caravan plot under Strike Force Pearl, which investigates allegations of anti-Semitism, and Operation Kissinger, which is dedicated to the caravan incident.

To date, three people have been arrested on the “periphery” relation to the Dural plot, Tammie Farrugia, Scott Marshall and Simon Nichols, however no charges have been laid.