Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. I refer the minister to the fact that the Australian Federal Police informed the Department of Immigration and Citizenship of the presence of a convicted Egyptian jihadist terrorist in low-security detention on 24 November last year. Why didn't the minister know about this serious breach of security until May this year?

Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow minister for his question. The Australian Federal Police are an outstanding organisation. They do important work and they do it very well. I see in the gallery today Mr Mark Burgess who represents the Police Federation of Australia. He represents the police forces all across Australia who all do great work on our behalf. It is good to have him here today.

As the shadow minister knows, and I told him this in parliament last night, there is a separation between operational work and policy work. I have confidence in the Australian Federal Police to advise me on the details that they think appropriate when they think that is appropriate. What I will not do is second-guess the Australian Federal Police on what the Federal Police think is appropriate to brief me on. When I was briefed on this matter by the Australian Federal Police, I asked them to work with DIAC on the review that they are conducting and that is ongoing and that, I think, is appropriate.