60 Minutes on Sunday, 6 November

MEMBERS STATEMENT - HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

I was as shocked as we all were at the allegations levelled against the former government in the 60 Minutes migration story on Sunday. I was disgusted at the implication that our visa system was being used by those opposite to assist criminal syndicates to protect convicted criminals to remain in Australia and to traffic young women. The member for La Trobe's relationship with migration agent Jack Ta resulted in $26,700 being paid between 2017 and 2019 to his campaign fund, the Pinnacle Club.

At the same time these donations were being paid, the member for La Trobe was Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration, investigating migration agents! So one might ask: What did he do? The answer, it seems, is nothing. In fact, the member for La Trobe was promoted to assistant minister to then Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, in May 2019. Rather than cracking down on this problem, those opposite took donations from its perpetrators and promoted those who were cultivated by them.

Of course, all of this happened on the watch of the now Leader of the Opposition when he was minister. How can the Leader of the Opposition justify keeping the member for La Trobe as a member of his shadow ministry?