ABC told 12 people left detention facility without visas
It's been revealed that some of the detainees released from immigration detention over the weekend were sent into the community without visas.
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TVTranscript
00:00 We know that this High Court decision last week triggered the release of 83 non-citizens
00:08 into the community, but it's been revealed today that some of these detainees were released
00:14 into the community without a visa, a revelation that certainly contradicts some of the senior
00:21 federal ministers that have been out around this issue over the last few days.
00:26 Now, while the federal government says all are now on bridging visas, the ABC has seen
00:31 a letter stating that some were initially released as unlawful non-citizens.
00:38 Now the immigration minister, Andrew Giles, has certainly been under sustained questioning
00:43 around this in Parliament today.
00:46 He refused to rule out whether any of those released did not have a visa.
00:51 Here's a little of what he told Parliament.
00:54 Complying with the orders of the High Court is not optional.
00:58 It is incumbent on this government and on any government.
01:02 All those who have been required by the decision of the court to be released have been placed
01:08 on appropriate visas with appropriate conditions.
01:12 Now that was immigration minister Andrew Giles there.
01:15 He says that all of those released are now on visas, but the ABC has been told at least
01:22 a dozen people left detention at the weekend as unlawful non-citizens and then had their
01:28 bridging visas confirmed over Monday and Tuesday.
01:32 Now the opposition has been putting a lot of pressure on the government around this
01:37 story all week, and particularly today.
01:40 The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, says that politicians should stay in Canberra until
01:47 Parliament passes legislation to address the court's decision.
01:51 Here's a little of what he told Parliament.
01:53 A competent minister would have dealt with this matter by way of legislation at the first
02:00 available opportunity and he would have rushed that legislation through this Parliament so
02:07 as to prevent the 83 from going out into the community with the significant potential of
02:13 committing more offences against the Australian public.
02:17 Now the government insists that new laws are underway to address that court decision, so
02:22 we'll certainly see how that unfolds over the coming days.
02:25 And Monty, on another story, the National Cyber Security Coordinator has been recalled
02:29 to the Defence Department.
02:30 What can you tell us about that?
02:32 Yeah, this is Air Marshal Darren Goldie.
02:35 Now he's been serving in this high profile role since July and it certainly has been
02:42 sort of leading the government's response to some of these major cyber security incidents
02:47 that we've seen in recent months, including Optus and more recently DP World.
02:52 Now the senior Air Force officer has been recalled to Defence to deal with what the
02:57 Department describes as a workplace matter.
03:01 Now the ABC has confirmed that Defence first became aware of the complaint concerning alleged
03:07 past behaviour by Air Marshal Goldie in the past week.
03:11 Now in a statement the Department says it would be inappropriate to comment further,
03:17 while Home Affairs Minister Claire O'Neill says Department Deputy Secretary Hamish Hansford
03:24 will now act in that cyber role.
03:27 So certainly a story that might play out over the coming weeks as well.
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