MPs asked Dutton to intervene ‘9000 times’

Federal MPs have asked Peter Dutton to intervene in immigration cases more than 9000 times since he became immigration minister.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: Kym Smith

Federal MPs and senators, including those from Labor and the Greens, asked Peter Dutton to intervene in immigration cases more than 9000 times since he became immigration minister in 2014.

The Home Affairs Minister’s office has highlighted the representations from Labor frontbenchers including Chris Bowen, Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke as well as Greens MPs including Nick McKim and Adam Bandt in a defence of Mr Dutton’s decision to grant European ­nannies visas in 2015.

Scott Morrison also rejected claims that Mr Dutton misused ministerial powers in overturning negative visa decisions for au pairs, saying the claims did not pass the “pub test”.

The Prime Minister, a former immigration minister who 10 days ago was elevated to the top job over Mr Dutton in a partyroom ballot by 45 votes to 40, said ministerial intervention was a beneficial feature of Australia’s immigration system.

“It’s a ministerial intervention power. It’s not a departmental intervention power,” he said.

“The ministerial intervention system is a good feature of the system, which gives it flexibility.

“Now in (Mr Dutton’s) case, I’ve seen the decisions that were taken, and those decisions were all completely consistent with how that power should be exercised, and that’s frankly the end of the matter.”

Mr Dutton’s office said he had intervened in more than 900 cases in 2017-18 alone in which MPs and members of the public had asked him to overturn decisions of the department to deny a visa.

This included 192 representations from Mr Bowen, 26 from Mr Albanese, 22 from Mr Burke, 25 from Senator McKim, 24 from Mr Bandt and 36 from former crossbencher Nick Xenophon.

“I have helped sick children, people with disabilities, aged parents and many other cases — all where the department has advised me not to act,” Mr Dutton said.

“I have applied common sense and have acted lawfully and on the merits of each case.

“This latest attack on me is just the most recent.

“My opponents hate me because of my stance on border ­protection and this latest attack won’t deter me one inch from continuing to do my job.”

Mr Dutton’s office cited the example of a Melbourne man who had written to thank him for overturning the department’s decision not to grant his wife a permanent residence return visa when she had to travel overseas to attend her father’s funeral in October 2017.

The man — in the Melbourne electorate of Hotham, held by Labor MP Clare O’Neil — said he had gone to the Immigration and Border Protection office and been turned away by “very rude staff”.

“It was then by chance I came upon your office contact details and spoke to … one of your staff,” the man wrote in an email, thanking Mr Dutton.

He said he received a call back within an hour from the “compassionate” staff member, and rapidly received an email stating the return visa had been approved.

“I must commend her efficiency in the matter and the way she ­handled my issue,” the man said.

Ms O’Neil yesterday took aim at Mr Dutton on the ABC’s Insiders program. “What it looks like is if you have Peter Dutton or the Liberal Party on speed dial, you are going to get a different immigration outcome than the ordinary person,” she said.