Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Gallagher: News reports today show that earlier this month immigration minister Andrew Giles personally intervened in an immigration detention matter to release a convicted criminal who had deep affiliations with the Australian Labor Party. Mr Safwat Abdel-Hady was initially convicted for spiking drinks with intent to commit an act of indecency, which, on retrial, become a conviction on a lesser charge. He was convicted of multiple assaults and subjected to an apprehended violence order. He was also a close associate of former prime minister Bob Hawke, and in 2013 was granted a visa under the then Labor government, despite failing the character test. Why did Mr Giles personally intervene to ensure that Mr Abdel-Hady was treated differently to the NZYQ cohort and was released without monitoring and curfew conditions?