Detainees inside the Manus Island centre in 2013.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Calls for a royal commission into offshore processing deals are growing,as Coalition frontbenchers continue to fend off questions over Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s knowledge of a contract awarded to an Australian businessman hewas allegedly warned was under a bribery investigation when Dutton was home affairs minister.
“Any allegations,accompanied by any relevant evidence,should be referred to the Australian Federal Police or the National Anti-Corruption Commission,” said a departmental spokesperson.
Home Affairs MinisterClare O’Neil on Tuesday also invoked the new national corruption watchdog over revelations in theHome Truths investigative series published byThe Sydney Morning Herald andThe Age and broadcast by60 Minutes,saying that while she would speak more fully on the coverage soon,the government had no tolerance for corruption.
Loading
The series of allegations involving Home Affairs and the companies it contracted to run immigration detention facilities in Nauru and Papua New Guinea includes claims aNauruan official received more than $120,000 in suspect payments from subcontractors hired with the approval of Home Affairs.
The department said the Commonwealth did not have a contractual relationship with subcontractors working in regional processing,and that the head contractor was ultimately responsible for the delivery of all services.
It also said the payment of invoices for services delivered under a government contract was subject to a detailed verification process.