Andrew Giles reverses his statement about Australian police using drones to surveil migrant criminals
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is once again facing backlash for falsely claiming that police were using drones to monitor criminal migrants in Australia. This has led to calls for his removal from the government by members of the opposition.
Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has raised concerns over whether Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will take action against Mr. Giles for his inaccurate statements.
Last year, the Australian High Court ruled against the indefinite detention of a Rohingya man named NZYQ, resulting in the release of 151 individuals from detention.
There are growing concerns about the safety of Australians following this ruling.
Recently, Mr. Giles was questioned about why freed immigration detainees accused of serious crimes were not required to wear monitors.
During an interview with Sky News, Mr. Giles claimed that police were using drones to monitor these individuals, with substantial government funds allocated for surveillance purposes.
However, a Liberal Senator later questioned the Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner who confirmed that there were no secret drones being used to watch criminals.
In Parliament, Mr. Giles addressed the confusion and attributed it to miscommunication within his department.
Opposition Leader Mr. Dutton criticized the situation on social media, questioning when the Prime Minister will dismiss the immigration minister for his repeated mistakes.
These incidents add to the ongoing controversies surrounding Mr. Giles, including his involvement in signing the controversial Direction 99.
Direction 99, issued by Mr. Giles last year, instructed the Australian Appeals Tribunal to prioritize criminals’ ties to Australia in visa appeal decisions.
On May 29, Mr. Albanese announced plans to revise Direction 99, which had allowed violent criminals to stay in Australia despite visa cancellations.
The Labor government has blamed the AAT for allowing violent offenders to remain in the country amidst the confusion caused by Direction 99.
Mr. Paterson highlighted several concerning issues with the government’s immigration policies revealed during the week’s Senate Estimates sessions.
These issues include failures related to Direction 99 and the implications of the NZYQ case, where two murderers and 26 sex offenders are now living in the community without monitoring.
Mr. Giles’ office has been contacted for further comments on the matter.
