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| Immigration head Michael Pezzullo apologises for Border Force confusion in Melbourne – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.19am BST00:19 | |
| Proof that launching an airport plan and environmental impact statement can be a fraught business. | |
| 12.14am BST00:14 | |
| Mike Pezzullo says (contrary to the impression given by the botched press release) there are no powers to interrogate people on the streets without reasonable suspicion. | |
| Labor senator Kim Carr says the sum of the parts then means the agencies involved in Operation Fortitude were advertising an illegal act? | |
| Pezzullo says a press release can’t be an illegal act. | |
| Carr persists, pointing out the agencies were describing an operation that exceeded their statutory powers. | |
| Pezzullo concedes that point. | |
| It would be beyond power. | |
| Just for the record, this was Roman Quaedvlieg’s full explanation/mea culpa for Operation (Reverse Ferret) Fortitude from earlier this morning. | |
| Our role in that operation was limited to six ABF visa compliance officers in two static locations over two evenings in Melbourne’s CBD, providing a secondary advisory and support service where the lead agencies referred matters requiring immigration expertise. | |
| This activity is a routine and regular component of our responsibilities. Last financial year we provided support to over 300 operations led by partner enforcement agencies across Australia. | |
| Unfortunately, in the case of Operation Fortitude, the ABF issued a complementary media release which was factually wrong in describing its role. | |
| This resulted in public confusion, concern and distress for which I apologise. | |
| 11.58pm BST23:58 | |
| Down in the Blue Room, on the putative second Sydney airport, and Warren Truss is at pains to say the good people of western Sydney will not be troubled excessively by aircraft noise. | |
| No one will have to do anything as unseemly as shouting over the noise of a plane. | |
| Warren Truss: | |
| Indicative flightpaths would indicate that when they reach the Penrith CBD, aircraft are likely to be above 5,000 feet and this would mean a noise level below 70 decibels. | |
| That is equivalent to the noise that you would hear from a passenger car travelling on a suburban road. | |
| We do anticipate that the noise levels around the western Sydney area will be manageable. They will generally be about conversational level in volume and rarely would people be required to raise their voices because of the fact that there was aircraft movements in the area. | |
| Meanwhile, back with Operation Reverse Ferret Fortitude. Mike Pezzullo says it was never anyone’s intention to have ABF folks roaming the streets of Melbourne requiring people to produce their papers. The fact the press statement suggested something of the sort was a regrettable lapse in the context of a high tempo environment. | |
| Updated at 12.04am BST | |
| 11.49pm BST23:49 | |
| Down in the Blue Room, the deputy prime minister Warren Truss is unveiling a plan for the second Sydney airport. I’ll catch us up with that shortly. | |
| In estimates, we are still deep in Operation Reverse Ferret Fortitude. Quaedvlieg, under questioning from the Liberal senator Ian MacDonald, is describing an (abandoned) intention to swoop on a taxi rank adjacent to the Southern Cross station in Melbourne. | |
| The officers would wear some kind of identification. | |
| Probably a uniform. | |
| 11.43pm BST23:43 | 11.43pm BST23:43 |
| Sticking with immigration estimates, Quaedvlieg is still facing questions about Operation Reverse Ferret Fortitude. He’s told the committee the immigration minister’s office was briefed about the proposal earlier in the week in late August – a media release went up for noting – but he, the ABF chief, was not. | Sticking with immigration estimates, Quaedvlieg is still facing questions about Operation Reverse Ferret Fortitude. He’s told the committee the immigration minister’s office was briefed about the proposal earlier in the week in late August – a media release went up for noting – but he, the ABF chief, was not. |
| That’s a bit odd, isn’t it, Labor senator Kim Carr inquires? | That’s a bit odd, isn’t it, Labor senator Kim Carr inquires? |
| Nope, nope, nope says Quaedvlieg. | Nope, nope, nope says Quaedvlieg. |
| I don’t expect to be apprised of every operation. | I don’t expect to be apprised of every operation. |
| Carr would like access to the talking points that accompanied the press release that went to the minister’s office. Immigration chief Pezzullo says that can probably be arranged because they will shortly be released in compliance with a freedom of information request. | Carr would like access to the talking points that accompanied the press release that went to the minister’s office. Immigration chief Pezzullo says that can probably be arranged because they will shortly be released in compliance with a freedom of information request. |
| 11.32pm BST23:32 | 11.32pm BST23:32 |
| More on Reverse Ferret Fortitude. | More on Reverse Ferret Fortitude. |
| Roman Quaedvlieg on the “factually wrong” press release: | Roman Quaedvlieg on the “factually wrong” press release: |
| This resulted in public concern, confusion and distress, and for that I apologise. | This resulted in public concern, confusion and distress, and for that I apologise. |
| 11.29pm BST23:29 | 11.29pm BST23:29 |
| Soz for that Border Force botch-up in Melbz | Soz for that Border Force botch-up in Melbz |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| Various estimates hearings are now under way downstairs and I will keep you posted over the course of the day. Thanks to my colleague Shalailah Medhora for this breaking snippet. | Various estimates hearings are now under way downstairs and I will keep you posted over the course of the day. Thanks to my colleague Shalailah Medhora for this breaking snippet. |
| Michael Pezzullo, the secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, which takes in Australian Border Force, has apologised for the confusion arising from Operation Fortitude. A “badly worded press release” gave the impression that Border Force could stop people and request they produce valid visas, Pezzullo said. “It does not,” he said. The incident, in August this year, prompted public outrage and mirth alike. Pezzullo said he and the commissioner of Border Force, Roman Quaedvlieg, “in the end are accountable for this regrettable incident”. A comprehensive review of the incident has resulted in a number of staff being formally counselled, and tighter controls on the release of press statements. | Michael Pezzullo, the secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, which takes in Australian Border Force, has apologised for the confusion arising from Operation Fortitude. A “badly worded press release” gave the impression that Border Force could stop people and request they produce valid visas, Pezzullo said. “It does not,” he said. The incident, in August this year, prompted public outrage and mirth alike. Pezzullo said he and the commissioner of Border Force, Roman Quaedvlieg, “in the end are accountable for this regrettable incident”. A comprehensive review of the incident has resulted in a number of staff being formally counselled, and tighter controls on the release of press statements. |
| Updated at 11.43pm BST | Updated at 11.43pm BST |
| 11.22pm BST23:22 | 11.22pm BST23:22 |
| One more Seinfeld reference and then I really must move on. | One more Seinfeld reference and then I really must move on. |
| I was out of the office last week and as a consequence, had the time to watch the debate by Democratic party candidates for the US presidency. | I was out of the office last week and as a consequence, had the time to watch the debate by Democratic party candidates for the US presidency. |
| Yes, sad to be watching politics on a week off, but there you go. The Politics Live community is precisely that sad sort of community. | Yes, sad to be watching politics on a week off, but there you go. The Politics Live community is precisely that sad sort of community. |
| If you missed the debate, and wish you’d seen it, watch this instead – it’s great fun, particularly Larry David as Bernie Sanders. | If you missed the debate, and wish you’d seen it, watch this instead – it’s great fun, particularly Larry David as Bernie Sanders. |
| Updated at 11.40pm BST | Updated at 11.40pm BST |
| 11.13pm BST23:13 | 11.13pm BST23:13 |
| Still with Seinfeld, Mike Bowers is rocking the Jerry look, just quietly. | Still with Seinfeld, Mike Bowers is rocking the Jerry look, just quietly. |
| only shoes I packed for Canberra are runners, borrowing the look from Ross Gittins-runners with suit @murpharoo pic.twitter.com/g7cJzkhcqt | only shoes I packed for Canberra are runners, borrowing the look from Ross Gittins-runners with suit @murpharoo pic.twitter.com/g7cJzkhcqt |
| 11.12pm BST23:12 | 11.12pm BST23:12 |
| To other matters now. Here is a short Politics Live episode I’ll call, ‘where are they now?’ | To other matters now. Here is a short Politics Live episode I’ll call, ‘where are they now?’ |
| This is my first opportunity to share a most wonderful exit interview by the government’s former Senate leader Eric Abetz. | This is my first opportunity to share a most wonderful exit interview by the government’s former Senate leader Eric Abetz. |
| Among many choice maxims and reflections, Abetz has told the Australian’s media editor, Sharri Markson, today that the Canberra press gallery suffers from a dreadful case of group think when it comes to reporting on MPs of a strong Christian persuasion. | Among many choice maxims and reflections, Abetz has told the Australian’s media editor, Sharri Markson, today that the Canberra press gallery suffers from a dreadful case of group think when it comes to reporting on MPs of a strong Christian persuasion. |
| Take it away Eric: | Take it away Eric: |
| Journalists will need to explain why they do this, but it is very clear that if somebody swears their oath on the Koran, this is a wonderful expression of diversity and to be encouraged, whereas if you swear your oath on the Bible then you’re an old fart and not to be taken seriously. Well, excuse me, what’s the difference? There is a special negative-sentiment override for those that profess the Christian faith. | Journalists will need to explain why they do this, but it is very clear that if somebody swears their oath on the Koran, this is a wonderful expression of diversity and to be encouraged, whereas if you swear your oath on the Bible then you’re an old fart and not to be taken seriously. Well, excuse me, what’s the difference? There is a special negative-sentiment override for those that profess the Christian faith. |
| Journalists just won’t give poor conservatives a break: | Journalists just won’t give poor conservatives a break: |
| I’m terribly loyal to my new leader but you might comment on the flirtatious approach of Leigh Sales when she interviewed Turnbull. Just ask yourself the question, did Leigh Sales ever apologise for interrupting Tony Abbott? If you’re a conservative, you’re fair game to be interrupted. | I’m terribly loyal to my new leader but you might comment on the flirtatious approach of Leigh Sales when she interviewed Turnbull. Just ask yourself the question, did Leigh Sales ever apologise for interrupting Tony Abbott? If you’re a conservative, you’re fair game to be interrupted. |
| While still on the dearly departed, Mike Bowers has been for a stroll around downstairs to capture Joe Hockey’s zen mindset, post treasury. | While still on the dearly departed, Mike Bowers has been for a stroll around downstairs to capture Joe Hockey’s zen mindset, post treasury. |
| This picture greets visitors to Hockey’s new, more modest, parliamentary digs. Seinfeld fans will know this is the soup Nazi. No soup for Joe. We can read this public display of rebuff in many different ways but I think it’s an excellent sign. Looks like he’s settling in to post-treasury life nicely. | This picture greets visitors to Hockey’s new, more modest, parliamentary digs. Seinfeld fans will know this is the soup Nazi. No soup for Joe. We can read this public display of rebuff in many different ways but I think it’s an excellent sign. Looks like he’s settling in to post-treasury life nicely. |
| Updated at 11.20pm BST | Updated at 11.20pm BST |
| 10.54pm BST22:54 | 10.54pm BST22:54 |
| Refugee advocate Pamela Curr is on ABC radio in Melbourne now. Curr is one of the people who (presumably) has just been branded a fabricator by PDuddy. | Refugee advocate Pamela Curr is on ABC radio in Melbourne now. Curr is one of the people who (presumably) has just been branded a fabricator by PDuddy. |
| Curr says it’s true that some “facts” in the case are disputed, but she’s sticking by her version of events. Curr says, concerning the termination, she believes the woman was not given a chance to say what she wanted. | Curr says it’s true that some “facts” in the case are disputed, but she’s sticking by her version of events. Curr says, concerning the termination, she believes the woman was not given a chance to say what she wanted. |
| ABC host Jon Faine asks her whether she’s using the circumstances of this individual case to contrive permanent residency for this woman. | ABC host Jon Faine asks her whether she’s using the circumstances of this individual case to contrive permanent residency for this woman. |
| Curr doesn’t address Faine’s point specifically but says she works in a contentious field. | Curr doesn’t address Faine’s point specifically but says she works in a contentious field. |
| She says if you position yourself on the side of human rights in the Australian asylum debate, things will get willing. | She says if you position yourself on the side of human rights in the Australian asylum debate, things will get willing. |
| Pamela Curr: | Pamela Curr: |
| That is the nature of a contentious policy. | That is the nature of a contentious policy. |
| Updated at 11.14pm BST | Updated at 11.14pm BST |
| 10.39pm BST22:39 | 10.39pm BST22:39 |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| Dutton was doorstopped by journalists shortly after his grilling on Radio National. | Dutton was doorstopped by journalists shortly after his grilling on Radio National. |
| He reiterated the point that Australia sent the 23-year old Somali refugee known as Abyan back to Nauru because she changed her mind about having an abortion, and only after she was reviewed by medical professionals. | He reiterated the point that Australia sent the 23-year old Somali refugee known as Abyan back to Nauru because she changed her mind about having an abortion, and only after she was reviewed by medical professionals. |
| Counselling and other services were provided to Abyan even before she arrived in Australia, Dutton said. “I am advised that counselling was provided to the lady before she departed Nauru, and assistance otherwise no doubt,” the immigration minister said. He has not ruled out bringing the woman, who alleges that she was raped on Nauru, back to Australia if she decides she does want the termination. “We’ll make a decision that we believe is in the best interests of the patient,” Dutton said. “That will be the test that we apply.” | Counselling and other services were provided to Abyan even before she arrived in Australia, Dutton said. “I am advised that counselling was provided to the lady before she departed Nauru, and assistance otherwise no doubt,” the immigration minister said. He has not ruled out bringing the woman, who alleges that she was raped on Nauru, back to Australia if she decides she does want the termination. “We’ll make a decision that we believe is in the best interests of the patient,” Dutton said. “That will be the test that we apply.” |
| The immigration minister also refuted claims from a New Zealand MP, as first reported by Guardian Australia on Saturday, that Kiwis sentenced and jailed for minor offences were among the detainees awaiting deportation from Australian facilities. He did, however, admit that security on Christmas Island was being beefed up, as the detention facility there is being increasingly used to house bikie gang members and other high risk offenders awaiting deportation. “It is true that there have been upgrades at the Christmas Island facility because we... will cancel visas of people who pose significant risk to the Australian public, as well as people otherwise who have had their visas cancelled,” Dutton said. | The immigration minister also refuted claims from a New Zealand MP, as first reported by Guardian Australia on Saturday, that Kiwis sentenced and jailed for minor offences were among the detainees awaiting deportation from Australian facilities. He did, however, admit that security on Christmas Island was being beefed up, as the detention facility there is being increasingly used to house bikie gang members and other high risk offenders awaiting deportation. “It is true that there have been upgrades at the Christmas Island facility because we... will cancel visas of people who pose significant risk to the Australian public, as well as people otherwise who have had their visas cancelled,” Dutton said. |
| 10.34pm BST22:34 | 10.34pm BST22:34 |
| Peter Dutton: "The accounts have shifted in the last few days .." | Peter Dutton: "The accounts have shifted in the last few days .." |
| The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has been interviewed by ABC’s Radio National about the truly terrible case of a Somali refugee allegedly raped and impregnated on Nauru. | The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has been interviewed by ABC’s Radio National about the truly terrible case of a Somali refugee allegedly raped and impregnated on Nauru. |
| Controversy about this case has raged over this past weekend. | Controversy about this case has raged over this past weekend. |
| As my colleague Shalailah Medhora reports, the 23-year old woman, known as Abyan, was flown back to Nauru from Australia on Friday. The refugee had been in Australia for an abortion, a procedure difficult to access on Nauru. | As my colleague Shalailah Medhora reports, the 23-year old woman, known as Abyan, was flown back to Nauru from Australia on Friday. The refugee had been in Australia for an abortion, a procedure difficult to access on Nauru. |
| Dutton has said Abyan was flown back out of Australia because she had changed her mind about having the termination. He denied claims that she was removed before lawyers could seek an injunction prohibiting her return to Nauru. But the refugee’s lawyer, George Newhouse, told Guardian Australia she had not changed her mind about wanting a termination. | Dutton has said Abyan was flown back out of Australia because she had changed her mind about having the termination. He denied claims that she was removed before lawyers could seek an injunction prohibiting her return to Nauru. But the refugee’s lawyer, George Newhouse, told Guardian Australia she had not changed her mind about wanting a termination. |
| Dutton has evidently had enough of being the bad guy. During his ABC interview, he unloaded on the advocates attempting to assist the woman – accusing refugee advocates of a gross breach of the woman’s privacy, and worse, of “trading off this lady’s very difficult circumstances”. | Dutton has evidently had enough of being the bad guy. During his ABC interview, he unloaded on the advocates attempting to assist the woman – accusing refugee advocates of a gross breach of the woman’s privacy, and worse, of “trading off this lady’s very difficult circumstances”. |
| He’s also alleged various (unnamed) people have fabricated accounts of what’s occurred over the past few days. Dutton told his host, Fran Kelly, accounts of her treatment and circumstances “have shifted over the past few days.” PDuddy thinks the advocates should be held to account for the inconsistencies. | He’s also alleged various (unnamed) people have fabricated accounts of what’s occurred over the past few days. Dutton told his host, Fran Kelly, accounts of her treatment and circumstances “have shifted over the past few days.” PDuddy thinks the advocates should be held to account for the inconsistencies. |
| PDuddy says the government has been trying to assist the woman – hence the charter flight to Australia and then transport back to Nauru. Asked whether she’ll be permitted to return to Australia for a termination, Dutton said the government would seek to act in the woman’s best interests, however the government was in the business of providing medical support, not migration outcomes. | PDuddy says the government has been trying to assist the woman – hence the charter flight to Australia and then transport back to Nauru. Asked whether she’ll be permitted to return to Australia for a termination, Dutton said the government would seek to act in the woman’s best interests, however the government was in the business of providing medical support, not migration outcomes. |
| The woman issued a handwritten statement over the weekend via her lawyer, which has been published by Fairfax. | The woman issued a handwritten statement over the weekend via her lawyer, which has been published by Fairfax. |
| It reads: | It reads: |
| I was raped on Nauru. I have been very sick. I have never said thate [sic] I did not want a termination. I never saw a doctor. I saw a nurse at a clinic but there was no counselling. I [also] saw a nurse at Villawood but there was no interpreter. I asked but was not allowed to talk with my lawyer. | I was raped on Nauru. I have been very sick. I have never said thate [sic] I did not want a termination. I never saw a doctor. I saw a nurse at a clinic but there was no counselling. I [also] saw a nurse at Villawood but there was no interpreter. I asked but was not allowed to talk with my lawyer. |
| Please help me. | Please help me. |
| If you need one story to give you a clean read-through of the weekend events, here’s the latest news wrap from my colleague Ben Doherty. | If you need one story to give you a clean read-through of the weekend events, here’s the latest news wrap from my colleague Ben Doherty. |
| Updated at 11.12pm BST | Updated at 11.12pm BST |
| 10.02pm BST22:02 | 10.02pm BST22:02 |
| Good morning good people | Good morning good people |
| Good morning and welcome to Monday in Canberra. The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the opinion polls are bouncing. More than likely. | Good morning and welcome to Monday in Canberra. The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the opinion polls are bouncing. More than likely. |
| Fairfax Media’s Ipsos poll, published in the various outlets this morning, has the Coalition ahead of Labor 53-47 on two-party-preferred terms, and Malcolm Turnbull has opened up a crushing lead as preferred prime minister. It’s the best poll for the Coalition since the last federal election. Last week, the Newspoll had good news for Turnbull personally as well – a positive reception from voters – but the major parties were deadlocked on 50-50. | Fairfax Media’s Ipsos poll, published in the various outlets this morning, has the Coalition ahead of Labor 53-47 on two-party-preferred terms, and Malcolm Turnbull has opened up a crushing lead as preferred prime minister. It’s the best poll for the Coalition since the last federal election. Last week, the Newspoll had good news for Turnbull personally as well – a positive reception from voters – but the major parties were deadlocked on 50-50. |
| Just a general observation. It’s pretty obvious Turnbull has delivered a sugar hit for the government. Given Tony Abbott’s consistently dreadful poll numbers, and with due respect to the new prime minister, anyone credible who wasn’t Tony Abbott would deliver a poll bounce for the government. The question is how substantial – and can the improvement be sustained? Theoretically at least, we are a year out from the next election, and a budget and a tax policy and other challenges lie in between then and now. | Just a general observation. It’s pretty obvious Turnbull has delivered a sugar hit for the government. Given Tony Abbott’s consistently dreadful poll numbers, and with due respect to the new prime minister, anyone credible who wasn’t Tony Abbott would deliver a poll bounce for the government. The question is how substantial – and can the improvement be sustained? Theoretically at least, we are a year out from the next election, and a budget and a tax policy and other challenges lie in between then and now. |
| Another general observation. Ipsos seems more volatile than other major newspaper opinion polls. | Another general observation. Ipsos seems more volatile than other major newspaper opinion polls. |
| The Australian Financial Review’s political editor, Laura Tingle, reflects on the gap between the two surveys in a comment piece this morning. | The Australian Financial Review’s political editor, Laura Tingle, reflects on the gap between the two surveys in a comment piece this morning. |
| Now it is possible that in the last week, particularly in the wake of the Cayman Islands affair, voters’ views on Turnbull have crystallised. Alternatively, it may be that Newspoll didn’t quite pick the strength of a trend to the new prime minister and Ipsos has picked up more of a trend than was actually there. The bottom line for our pollies, though, is that the Ipsos poll is going to leave Labor feeling very sick – and the Coalition very relieved. | Now it is possible that in the last week, particularly in the wake of the Cayman Islands affair, voters’ views on Turnbull have crystallised. Alternatively, it may be that Newspoll didn’t quite pick the strength of a trend to the new prime minister and Ipsos has picked up more of a trend than was actually there. The bottom line for our pollies, though, is that the Ipsos poll is going to leave Labor feeling very sick – and the Coalition very relieved. |
| Tingle points out, correctly of course, that the trend (teensy thing that it currently is) is our friend. | Tingle points out, correctly of course, that the trend (teensy thing that it currently is) is our friend. |
| The underlying trends – the surge of support for Turnbull, the relief that Tony Abbott is gone, and the rise in the Coalition’s primary vote and decline in Labor’s primary vote – are not in dispute among pollsters doing quantitative and qualitative polling. | The underlying trends – the surge of support for Turnbull, the relief that Tony Abbott is gone, and the rise in the Coalition’s primary vote and decline in Labor’s primary vote – are not in dispute among pollsters doing quantitative and qualitative polling. |
| If we screen out the noise, and cut to the chase, right now, you’d rather be Malcolm Turnbull than Bill Shorten, with the obvious caveats – a long way to go, anything can happen, and so on and so forth. | If we screen out the noise, and cut to the chase, right now, you’d rather be Malcolm Turnbull than Bill Shorten, with the obvious caveats – a long way to go, anything can happen, and so on and so forth. |
| Rather like Politics Live. Long way to go. Anything can happen – and it very often does. In recognition of these verities I’ve opened the comments thread, and will do my best to visit throughout the day. We are also up and at ‘em on the Twits @murpharoo and @mpbowers | Rather like Politics Live. Long way to go. Anything can happen – and it very often does. In recognition of these verities I’ve opened the comments thread, and will do my best to visit throughout the day. We are also up and at ‘em on the Twits @murpharoo and @mpbowers |
| Buckle up, here comes Monday. | Buckle up, here comes Monday. |
| Updated at 11.09pm BST | Updated at 11.09pm BST |