Peter Dutton defiant over au pair visa after lobbying by AFL boss

Peter Dutton has lashed claims he intervened in an au pair’s visa troubles because she had worked for Gillon McLachlan’s cousin.

French au pair Alexandra Deuwel was detained at Adelaide airport in 2015.

Peter Dutton has lashed out at suggestions he intervened in an au pair’s visa troubles because she once worked for the cousin of AFL boss Gillon McLachlan.

The Home Affairs Minister personally intervened after French au pair and yoga teacher Alexandra Deuwel was detained at Adelaide airport in 2015, ­according to Freedom of Information documents. She had been detained over concerns she ­intended to work in Australia.

Au Pair Alexandra Deuwel. Picture: Facebook

Ms Deuwel reportedly worked for Mr McLachlan’s second cousin, Callum MacLachlan, on a previous stay in Australia. It has been reported that the AFL boss made representations to Mr Dutton’s chief of staff, Craig Maclachlan, about Ms Deuwel’s case.

Mr Dutton said in a statement yesterday that he considered all cases on their merits, but did not deny Gillon McLachlan had contacted his office.

“I consider cases on their merits,” he said, “Any suggestions cases are determined on any other basis, including whether I knew the individual who referred the matter, is completely ridiculous. Ministers for immigration ­receive, annually, hundreds of representations on individual ­migration matters from members of the public, organisations, journalists and other members of parliament.”

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Ms Deuwel, according to her social media accounts, has spent the past few years travelling ­between Australia, France and ­Indonesia. Her Facebook page states that she once studied at TAFE in South Australia and she is currently a “yoga professor”. She did not reply to requests for comment yesterday.

It is believed she worked as an au pair for South Australian pastoralists Callum MacLachlan and his wife, Skye. A secretary at Mr MacLachlan’s company, Jumbuck Pastoral, said he was away. The AFL, on behalf of Gillon McLachlan, also declined to comment.

Mr Dutton also criticised media reports suggesting his chief of staff was related to the AFL chief or his South Australian cousins.

“In her most recent article, Ms (Lisa) Martin (of Guardian Australia) seeks to imply that my chief of staff may be related to Gillon McLachlan. This too is false,” he said. A Guardian Australia spokeswoman said: “At no point did we suggest that Mr Dutton’s chief of staff, Craig Maclachlan, was related to Gillon McLachlan.”

Martin initially reported that it was not known whether Mr ­Dutton’s chief of staff was related to either Gillon McLachlan or ­Callum MacLachlan. The report was later amended to say he was related to neither.

Gillon McLachlan. Picture: Sarah Matray

Mr Dutton faces a Senate ­inquiry over previous decisions to intervene in two visa cases involving au pairs.

He said yesterday he was exercising the powers given to all ­immigration ministers.

“There are longstanding intervention powers provided to ministers to consider and deal with these representations,” he said. “These powers were the same under the former Labor government.”

Opposition immigration spokes­man Shane Neumann said: “Labor expects the new Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, to ensure his minister fully co-operates with the Senate inquiry and its ­efforts to get to the bottom of these matters.”

Mr Dutton was defeated in a Liberal leadership ballot by Mr Morrison last week after a partyroom spill. Mr Morrison restored Mr Dutton to his position and he was sworn in as Home Affairs Minister on Monday, but the Immigration portfolio was handed to NSW moderate David Coleman.