Both sides want Peter Dutton reinstated to security committee

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton lost his full-time status on the NSC when Malcolm Turnbull took over the top job.

Malcolm Turnbull faces growing calls from both sides of the political divide to reinstate Immigration Minister Peter Dutton as a full-time member of the national ­security committee of cabinet.

Former defence minister Kevin Andrews told The Australian yesterday that Mr Dutton “should be a permanent member” because immigration and border protection were “integral elements of ­national security”.

“The Immigration Minister was a member of the NSC in the past, and should be now,” said Mr Andrews, who sat on the NSC with Mr Dutton.

“In my experience as a past member of the NSC, the immigration minister brings a valuable and critical perspective to the decisions about our security. It is ­artificial to separate immigration issues from national security.”

Former prime minister Tony Abbott described Mr Dutton on 2GB radio as a “significant part of the national security machinery” but said it was up to Mr Turnbull to determine members of the NSC.

Mr Dutton lost his full-time status when Mr Turnbull took over the top job. Along with Justice Minister Michael Keenan, he is co-opted when required.

Mr Dutton told 2UE radio yesterday that he expected the Prime Min­ister to ­review the composition of the NSC, and confirmed he had not taken part in any NSC meetings in recent days.

The opposition immigration spokesman, Richard Marles, told The Australian that Mr Dutton’s removal as a full-time member of the NSC was at the “expense of our national security”.

He argued the removal of Mr Dutton as a full-time member had been an “act of political payback” because the Immigration Minister was a supporter of Mr Abbott and had voted for him in September’s leadership spill.

“Labor has demonstrated a ­bipartisan approach to national secu­rity, it is a shame Mr Turnbull can’t bring that same ­approach to his own government members,” Mr Marles said.

Bill Shorten also made clear that, in a Labor government, his immigration minister would have a seat at the NSC table.

The calls for Mr Dutton to be made a full-time NSC member were triggered after Tasmanian Liberal MP and a former commander of Australian forces in Iraq, Andrew Nikolic, warned that his absence led to a greater risk to national security.

Mr Turnbull has given no indication he is eager to reshape the NSC and previously defended running a “leaner” committee.