Former Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg (left) and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. (Digitally altered image)Credit:Fairfax Media
Labor hopes of claiming Mr Dutton's scalp over the scandal took a hit on Tuesday when a fiery question time attack failed to land a substantial blow.
Mr Quaedvlieg immediately responded to Mr Dutton's attack,labelling it"extraordinary behaviour"and demanding the comments be withdrawn. He noted Mr Dutton made the remarks under parliamentary privilege,protecting him from legal action.
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"Grooming? Are you serious? That has a legislative meaning. Is that what he meant?"Mr Quaedvlieg said on Twitter.
Mr Dutton has been weathering a political storm overs separate decisions in 2015 to save two au pairs from deportation. He has been accused of helping out friends and well-connected figures,sparking concerns about fairness and consistency in Australia's immigration system.
The Home Affairs Minister has also rejected claims he misled Parliament when he categorically denied having personal connections to the people involved in the visa matters. One of the au pairs was coming to Australia to stay with a former police colleague of Mr Dutton's.
In a subsequent statement,Mr Quaedvlieg downplayed his role in the visa saga and called Mr Dutton's attack"disgusting and offensive". The former Border Force chief said Mr Dutton had accused him of"the criminal offence of sexual grooming".
Fairfax Media has reported Mr Dutton also assisted a friend,Matt Stock,to get a job with Border Force. Mr Stock later entered Mr Dutton's office as a liaison officer from the agency.
"The officer that you spoke of is a decorated and distinguished officer over 20 years of service with the Queensland Police Service,"Mr Dutton said when asked about the matter in Question Time.
"He applied for a job with Australian Border Force. There was no interference with that process. He went through the organisational requirements and he was employed by Australian Border Force and he was done so completely on merit."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison,also a former Immigration Minister,backed his leadership rival over the ex-Border Force boss.
"I’m disappointed that the claims that he’s making now are being so palpably demonstrated to be false,” Mr Morrison told the ABC’s7.30.
"They lack complete credibility and I’m disappointed that he has made these false claims and sought to sledge the character of Peter Dutton."
The Prime Minister praised his minister and said he had done"an outstanding job on securing our borders".