Karen Andrews hits back after damning report exposes election day asylum seeker boat act

Australia’s former home affairs minister says Scott Morrison told her to issue a statement about the interception of an asylum seeker boat on election day.

Former home affairs minister Karen Andrews claims issuing a statement about the interception of an asylum seeker boat on election day was “appropriate” and that then-prime minister Scott Morrison told her to do it.

It comes after a damning report found the Australian Border Force was told Mr Morrison wanted the interception to be publicised on election day, forcing public servants to refuse to “amplify” it on social media.

The report by the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, Michael Pezzullo AO, included an extraordinary text message exchange, with the Morrison government demanding the statement be released as soon as possible.

The report also found there was pressure placed on officials to release a public statement regarding the interception “prior to the conclusion of the operational activity”.

Former home affairs minister Karen Andrews. Picture: Mike Batterham

A mock-up of text messages between the Minister for Home Affairs Office and the department as described in the report.

Speaking on breakfast television on Saturday, Ms Andrews claimed the PM had asked her to release a statement on SIEV (Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel) 915 so she then asked the head of Operation Sovereign Borders to “lawfully put out a statement”.

“I asked clearly for the statement to be put out in a very situational awareness type of report, so it really just stuck to the facts,” she told Today.

She added: “I think that it was appropriate to make sure that there was a very clear statement put out by the head of Operation Sovereign Borders and that is exactly what happened.”

Ms Andrews was directly asked if Mr Morrison’s office had pressured her to get the information into the public domain, to which she said: “I was asked by the Prime Minister to issue the statement and that is exactly what I did.”

Former PM Scott Morrison and Former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews are in hot water this morning, accused of leaking the arrival of an asylum seeker boat on the day of the federal election.

DETAILS: https://t.co/1nlmQ1gb68#9Todaypic.twitter.com/eLfT2fEUOr

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) July 22, 2022

Ms Andrews strongly denied there was any pressure put on the department as the report suggested.

She also denied she knew about a text message from the Liberal Party sent to voters.

The message sent on the afternoon of May 21 warned about the “illegal boat” and urged Australians to “keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today”.

In a separate statement to news.com.au, a spokeswoman for Ms Andrews said: “The report shows caretaker guidelines were not breached. Previous similar publications were done in the interest of transparency and deterrence, as also stuipulated in the Report.

“The Minister worked with department officials to ensure the opposition received a briefing in a timely manner.”

Scott Morrison spoke to the press about the boat intercept on election day. Picture: Saeed Khan / AFP

Prior to the text Mr Morrison breached his own rule against commenting on “on-water matters” by speaking about the interception of the boat in a press conference. He told voters they “need to vote Liberal and Nationals” to stop future boats.

“I can simply say this. I’ve been here to stop this boat, but in order for me to be there to stop those that may come from here, you need to vote Liberal and Nationals today,” he said on May 21.

The report found that the actions taken by officials were in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions 2021.

Mr Morrison did not respond to request for comment on the report’s findings.