PM defends border response, amid another Abbott-era leak

The PM has backed Scott Morrison’s actions while he was immigration minister, as another cabinet leak emerges.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: AAP.

Malcolm Turnbull says Scott Morrison did and outstanding job as immigration minister and the Coalition makes no apologies for sending the clearest message to people smugglers, after leaks emerged suggesting Mr Morrison asked ASIO to delay security checks on asylum seekers to prevent those who arrived by boat from gaining permanent protection in 2013.

It’s not known whether ASIO complied with the request, which was revealed in cabinet-in-confidence documents obtained by the ABC.

Following another leak yesterday which showed the Abbott government considered cutting off income support payments to under-30s, Mr Turnbull said the ABC seemed to have found “a whole lot of documents” from more than four years ago.

“Can I just say that Scott Morrison is doing an outstanding job as Treasurer, of course,” the Prime Minister said.

“When he was the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection he stopped the boats. He did an outstanding job in securing our borders.

“We make no apologies for sending the clearest message to the people smugglers and to their would-be customers: if you want to come, think you can come to Australia on a people smuggler’s boat, you’re wrong. You won’t. You won’t get here, you will not become a permanent resident.”

Hunt defends border response

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, left, with Greg Hunt. Picture: Gary Ramage

Earlier, Health Minister Greg Hunt defended the Abbott government’s “strong and clear” response to the “catastrophic human tragedy” of lives being lost at sea.

Mr Hunt this morning said he was unsure of the origin and provenance of the leaks.

“But I can say everybody in Australia knew that the government was absolutely determined to stop the carnage at sea, to stop the people smugglers, to stop the tragedies,” he told ABC radio.

Asked whether it was legitimate to slow down the processing of those who were entitled to protection visas, Mr Hunt said he did not have the details of the leaked documents.

“But there were 2000 children in detention when we came in,” he said.

“There were over 1200 lives lost at sea. The details I don’t have. I can say that there was a catastrophic human tragedy which was unspeakable and it was unthinkable that that could continue, and the people who continued to apologise and airbrush this human tragedy and catastrophe should take a long, hard look at themselves because to airbrush this absolute human carnage is an utter disgrace, and we took steps that were strong and clear and public and absolute, and that has saved more than 100 lives that would otherwise have been lost at sea.”

One of Mr Morrison’s first initiatives as immigration minister after the Abbott government was elected on the promise of stopping the boats, was to replace permanent protection visas with three-year temporary protection visa.

The cabinet documents obtained by the ABC are from September and October 2013, marked “protected” and “sensitive” and should have remained secret for at least 20 years.

They reveal the Department of Immigration and Border Protection advised Mr Morrison that up to 700 asylum seekers must be granted permanent protection under the prevailing legislation.

Treasurer Scott Morrison. Picture: Jenny Evans.

Mr Morrison reportedly asked the department to detail the exact number that would be affected, and whether he could confer an alternative visa.

Then departmental secretary Martin Bowles then wrote to the director general of security to ask ASIO to delay security checks so refugees would miss the deadline for permanent protection.

ASIO could not be bound by the request, which could reportedly have resulted in an extra 30 refugees a week being knocked back from receiving permanent visas, and the documents do not reveal whether the security agency agreed to the department’s request.

Mr Morrison issued a statement this morning, saying: “As minister for Immigration and Border Protection, it was my policy and practice to put Australia’s national security interests first.”

With AAP