Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

To go to the honourable member's question, there were discussions between me and Minister Keenan in relation to what approach there should be. Labor had proposed some amendments to a piece of national security legislation which would have weakened that legislation, and we wanted Senator Leyonhjelm, Senator Day and the other Independent senators to support our national security legislation. It was in relation to the collection of biometrics at airports, and we wanted that bill through the parliament. There was a discussion, as Senator Leyonhjelm mentioned this morning. I had a meeting with him and Senator Day in Senator Day's office. I have made checks this morning and I am advised there was no correspondence between my office and the office of the then Prime Minister. But there is no question that at an advisers level there would have been discussions around this issue. To suggest that somehow Minister Keenan and I entered into these arrangements without there being discussion between officers does not follow—there no doubt would have been discussions. As I say, I am advised there was no correspondence from my office to the then PM. That goes directly to the member's question.

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