At least 26 crimes reported since release of former immigration detainees

The Coalition has demanded Anthony Albanese sack Immigration Minster Andrew Giles after former immigration detainees are accused of committing at least 26 crimes in the last three months.

Police have received 26 reports of crimes committed by former immigration detainees in the last three months, while more than 100 individuals released by the High Court are receiving special welfare payments.

The Coalition has stepped up calls for “incompetent” Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to resign, accusing Labor of failing to prepare for the release of 149 detainees into the community in the wake of the NZYQ case decision in November.

A series of Senate Estimates hearings have revealed damning details about the federal government’s response to the saga, including that Mr Giles did not attend multiple meetings in the lead up to the court ruling, that Labor has not applied to return any of the detainees to prison and that 17 per cent of the cohort have reoffended since their release.

Australian Federal Police have received 26 reports of crimes committed by the cohort, including 18 state and territory offences that the Commonwealth officials were unable to provide details of.

Services Australia officials told Senate Estimates on Wednesday about 103 of the former detainees are receiving a fortnightly special benefit payment.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles says community safety remains the government’s priority. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

It follows revelations earlier this week, the detainees had received $417,000 in income support through a separate welfare program known as Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) as of December 31.

Immigration officials said 136 former detainees received the SRSS, and revealed any individuals who had reoffended since their release and were then granted bail would still be able to get the support payment.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton moved a motion during Question Time on Wednesday calling on Anthony Albanese to dismiss Mr Giles.

“This minister has to go,” Mr Dutton said.

“This weak Prime Minister needs to show leadership.”

Mr Dutton accused Labor of failing to “provide timely and accurate information to the Australian people about the nature and location of the 149 criminals at large in the community”.

Mr Giles said community safety remained the government’s priority, pointing to the “four layers” of protection implemented including curfews, electronic monitoring and preventive detention laws.

“We support the work of our law enforcement agencies and we also have confidence in the trusted officials of the Community Protection Board who are providing advice to government on this cohort,” he said.

Overall government agencies had spent $13m responding to the NZYQ case as of last year, which included $3.9m for AFP activities, and $8.56m for a range of Department of Home Affairs costs.

Within the department’s costs was $1.1m for Australian Border Force activities such as surveillance and monitoring of the released detainees.

A further $1.17m was spent on accommodation costs for motels and hotels that could be monitored by the government.

Coalition government services spokesman Paul Fletcher accused Labor of making it easier for criminals to access welfare than the general public.

“Services Australia is making it easier for convicted criminals to access welfare payments, while ordinary Australians struggle with skyrocketing Centrelink call wait times,” he said.

Coalition calls for Immigration Minister to be sacked

Former immigration detainees released after the NZYQ High Court ruling have been accused of committing 26 crimes in the last three months.

The Coalition has also called for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to be sacked for mishandling the fallout of the court’s decision that prompted the release of 149 people previously convicted of crimes, but unable to be deported from Australia.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley said the federal government’s response to the saga was “shameful” and urged Anthony Albanese to fire Mr Giles.

“If he doesn’t sack him then this is on the Prime Minister,” she said.

“(The government) have simply sat on their hands, and meanwhile community safety seems completely unimportant to them.”

AFP Acting Deputy Commissioner Grant Nicholls says former detainees have been charged in relation to 27 crimes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Australian Federal Police acting deputy commissioner Grant Nicholls told a Senate Estimates heading there had been reports of seven commonwealth prosecutions, 18 state and territory prosecutions and one matter that was under consideration.

Of the commonwealth offences, three people remain in custody and the other four are on bail.

All offences the AFP were responsible for involved breaches of provisions imposing a curfew on the former detainees between 10pm and 6am.

“Three of the seven that I referred to have been rearrested for subsequent breaches,” Mr Nicholls said.

He did not have any further details on those accused of state and territory offences, including how many were in custody.

Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson asked Mr Nicholls if state police shared that information with the Commonwealth, to which he confirmed there was a weekly inter-agency meeting.

“We’ve heard about this so I assume that would be the kind of information that would be exchanged,” Mr Paterson said.

Mr Nicholls said he would take the question on notice and get back to the Coalition Senator.

Mr Paterson also asked if any of the 36 people released form immigration detention since the November High Court ruling without tracking devices had been charged with any Commonwealth or state offences, which Mr Nicholls took on notice.

Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson has asked for detail about the nature of the crimes allegedly committed by the released detainees. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The AFP were also unable to immediately answer if any of the seven people convicted of murder or attempted murder among the released cohort of 149 detainees had reoffended.

“It was my hope that the AFP would come able to answer these questions. You’ve been helpful with some questions but these are not difficult or complex questions I would have thought,” Mr Paterson said.

The released detainees also included 37 sex offenders, 72 people convicted of assault and violent offending, kidnapping or armed robbery, 16 domestic violence perpetrators and 13 serious drug offenders.

The Department of Home Affairs on Monday publicly confirmed for the first time where the released detainees are currently living, with 60 in NSW, 40 in Victoria, 20 in Queensland, 20 in Western Australia, fewer than 10 in South Australia and fewer than five in the ACT.

Officials also revealed there have been no applications made to have any of the most serious offenders returned to prison under new preventive detention measures rushed through parliament in December.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has defended Labor’s response to the NZYQ High Court ruling. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

In the wake of revelations Labor was yet to submit a single application, Opposition leader Peter Dutton called Immigration Minister Andrew Giles “incompetent” and suggested he was “not across his brief”.

Mr Giles said the government’s number one priority remained community safety.

“We’ve also put in place four layers of protection: preventive detention, community safety orders, electronic monitoring and curfews, as well as strict visa conditions.”

The High Court ordered the release of a Rohingya man previously convicted of child offences, known only as NZYQ, in November after ruling his indefinite detention was unlawful.

In the weeks following this decision a further 148 people who are not Australian citizens, but who cannot be deported largely due to their refugee status, were released into the community.

Originally published as At least 26 crimes reported since release of former immigration detainees