Anthony Albanese’s under-fire government has accused Peter Dutton of playing a role in the crisis the botched treatment of 141 asylum seekers who walked free from immigration detention – including one who ‘disappeared’ without an electronic ankle monitor.
Ny Breaking Australia can reveal that the detainee has since been found and now meets strict visa requirements.
The detainee disappeared after being released following a Supreme Court ruling that found indefinite detention unconstitutional.
After weeks of criticism from the coalition over its handling of the ‘mess’ following the Supreme Court ruling, senior ministers tried to pin the blame on Mr Dutton.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles argued in Question Time on Wednesday that Labor was against the High Court’s decision but had no choice but to abide by the ruling.
“I can tell you who did make a decision,” he said.
‘The Leader of the Opposition intervened as then Immigration Minister to allow the convicted pedophile at the center of the NZYQ case in the High Court to apply for a new visa rather than seek to have him removed from Australia .’
After weeks of criticism from the Coalition and the general public over this measure, the gloves are finally off and Labor has placed the blame squarely at the feet of Peter Dutton.
Mr Giles claimed this decision was ‘enabled’ [NZYQ] to stay in this country’.
‘Through the personal intervention of the Leader of the Opposition, he was allowed to remain in Australia until the day the High Court ruled.
‘This is his mess at the end of the day.
“Once again, this Leader of the Opposition talks tough but acts weak. It’s time… It’s time… And you need to stop playing political games and work with us to keep Australians safe.”
Following the revelation, both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Secretary Clare O’Neil also referred to Mr Dutton’s involvement in his former role.
Ms O’Neil said: ‘NZYQ wouldn’t even be here without the incompetence of the Leader of the Opposition.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles argued again in Question Time on Wednesday that Labor was against the High Court ruling but had no choice but to abide by the ruling.
“The Leader of the Opposition… he’s the reason NZYQ was here.”
Labor appeared to point to an alleged decision on February 11, 2016, which allowed NZYQ to apply for a safe haven business visa just two weeks after pleading guilty to the rape of a 10-year-old boy.
In 2020, a representative of the minister rejected the application.
NZYQ initiated proceedings against his indefinite detention in the High Court after he was released on parole from immigration detention in May 2018.
He had served three years and four months of his five-year sentence for the child rape, just months after being granted a bridging visa.
After arriving by boat in September 2012, it was determined that NZYQ could not be deported because he would face persecution in his home country.
NZYQ’s success in the High Court meant that 140 other asylum seekers who had been detained indefinitely and had their visas revoked for various reasons were also released into the community.
Following the revelation, both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Secretary Clare O’Neil also referred to Mr Dutton’s involvement in his former role.
Asylum seekers released from immigration detention following a landmark Supreme Court ruling have been spotted wearing ankle monitors on the grounds of a western Sydney motel
Murders and child molesters were among the perpetrators who benefited from the decision.
At least one of those people is now ‘missing’ because he is not equipped with an electronic ankle monitor.
It is understood that at least three others refuse to wear ankle monitors.
Speaking about the missing person, Ms O’Neil said on Wednesday: ‘I’m not going to go into detail about it other than to say the Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police have done an exceptional job here.
“I’m not going to criticize the police.”