Australian offshore immigration processing chief apologises for "major" blunder
A senior public official apologised for a "regrettable" and "serious" error that prevented Nauru from receiving offshore immigration processing for four months.
On Monday, Michael Pezzullo, the home affairs secretary, stated that the department knew in January 2021 that the designation authorising offshore processing at Nauru would need to be renewed but should have notified Claire O'Neil. O'Neil asked "at least seven" times if Operation Sovereign Borders met legal standards.
The Coalition's attempt to use the elimination of temporary protection visas (TPVs) against the Albanese administration. The Coalition claims Labor is soft on borders because it didn't renew Nauru's designation in October.
Refugee advocates and crossbench MPs applauded Labor's permanent residency for 19,000 TPV holders. However, supporters are now pushing the government to aid 12,000 more "in limbo," including 2,500 who must reapply to the immigration minister to stay in Australia.
The Greens and Coalition questioned the Albanese administration about the legal implications of Nauru's designation for offshore processing and its four-month lapse before parliament reauthorised it on 7 February.
On Monday, Pezzullo admitted the breach "should not have occurred," citing "human and administrative mistakes inside the department".
He submitted a document showing "many" times the department was alerted by external agencies or internal processes that the Nauru instrument would sunset, starting in January 2021 when the Office of Parliamentary Counsel delivered a list of expiring rules.
Senator Murray Watt, representing the home affairs minister, said the Coalition had displayed "all sorts of fury" that Labor had allowed the instrument lapse. Still, Peter Dutton and Karen Andrews commenced administrative monitoring. "Very neat deflection," said Liberal senator Paul Scarr.
“We made a mistake,” Pezzullo added. “That's not to say Ms Andrews or Mr Dutton should've asked about expiry.
Pezzullo also revealed that O'Neil had sought assurances “at least seven times” since June 2022 that “all administrative requirements to support Operation Sovereign Borders were in place”.
The immigration minister, Andrew Giles, had separately “sought the advice of instruments sunsetting or expiring”.
“This expiry was not stated by the department in any of those processes.”
