Peter Dutton au pair claims ‘don’t pass the pub test’, says Scott Morrison

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the notion Peter Dutton intervened on visas as a result of a personal relationship is ‘rubbish’.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a press conference at a child care centre in Sydney on Sunday, where he defended Peter Dutton’s au pair intervention.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says claims Peter Dutton misused ministerial powers when he intervened to overturn visa rejections for au pairs don’t pass the “pub test”.

The Home Affairs Minister is under pressure over revelations he granted European nannies visas when he held the immigration portfolio in 2015.

Mr Morrison, Mr Dutton’s predecessor in immigration, 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.

“I don’t quite understand the argument that says that we should get rid of it. If that’s the argument, then what you’ll end up doing is running a system that can’t fit every single person’s circumstances, and 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.

“What I’m saying is that he had a decision to make at the time, the individuals were allowed to remain in Australia on the basis that they didn’t contravene their visa, and then they returned. That’s what happened.

“Now no one’s pointed out to me, there is nothing before me, which suggests any misuse of that power. Nothing at all.”

.@ScottMorrisonMP: The ministerial intervention for visas has been a long-standing part of the portfolio.

MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #weekendlive pic.twitter.com/gEPmPXQlmG

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 2, 2018

Mr Dutton has been accused of intervening on behalf of a Queensland Police colleague from 20 years ago.

Mr Morrison said the notion that Mr Dutton had intervened as a result of a personal relationship was “rubbish”.

“If someone makes an application not even in the name of the person that you worked with 20 years ago, and actually does it through basically the switchboard, I mean that’s what doesn’t pass the pub test,” he said.

“The allegation that is being made, that somehow there was some relationship or knowledge, does not pass the pub test at all.

“If people want to say that every person that they may have worked with 20 years ago is now all of a sudden their best mate and they talk to each other every other day, well everyone knows that’s rubbish. It’s a Furphy, and I think we should leave it be.”

Mr Morrison said he was happy for people to look at his record as immigration minister.

“I made hundreds of decisions on ministerial intervention, and I considered every single one of them very carefully, and I looked at the human circumstances in every case,” he said.

“I mean it’s not a file, it’s a human being. I mean these things are human beings and their lives are affected by these decisions, and I would expect any minister, and those responsibilities are now exercised by David Coleman, he’s the Minister for Immigration now, he’s exercising those decisions under the structure I’ve put in place, and I’m sure he’ll exercise the same care and the same compassion and ensure that the system provides the flexibility that’s needed. That’s why that power is there.”

Mr Morrison cited “compassion” as the reason he stopped asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat.

“I stopped the boats because I was sick of seeing people and kids dying at sea. That’s why I did that,” he said.

“It wasn’t an easy decision. It was a tough decision, and I carry every decision I make, whether it’s as been as a minister for immigration, a minister for social services, a treasurer or a prime minister, I carry every single one of them with me.

“I understand the consequences of all of my decisions. I make them carefully, I weigh them up in the national interest, and I remain strong and firm when I take a decision, and Australians, you have my absolute commitment about how I go about conducting myself in these matters, and of course they’re difficult decisions, but that’s what we’re elected to do and that’s what you seek for us to do in trust with you.”

Mr Dutton has hinted the au pairs scandal is political retribution for his failed attempt to become prime minister.

“People are playing games and the timing of this attack off the back off the leadership issue a week ago is suspicious at best,” Mr Dutton told News Corp on Sunday.

In one case, Mr Dutton overruled the advice of immigration authorities to grant a French woman a visa after being lobbied by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan. Mr Dutton was also asked by a former Queensland police colleague to help Italian woman Michela Marchisio despite concerns she would breach her visa. The minister said senior Labor figures including Anthony Albanese, Chris Bowen and Tony Burke had successfully lobbied him to intervene in visa decisions. He said sick children, people with disabilities and aged parents were among the cases he had intervened in.

“I have applied common sense and have acted lawfully and on the merits of each case,” Mr Dutton said.

Labor frontbencher Clare O’Neil said the difference between Mr Dutton’s attitude to people on Manus Island and Nauru and well-connected au pairs was stark. “What it looks like is if you have Peter Dutton on speed dial or you’re a Liberal Party donor, you’ll get a different immigration outcome than the ordinary person,” Ms O’Neil told the ABC on Sunday.

She said Mr Dutton had lied to parliament by saying he had no personal connection to the case concerning the Italian woman.

The au pair visa issue will be examined by a Senate inquiry, which is due to hear evidence from department officials next week.

—With AAP