Leigh Sales grills Peter Dutton: The one question he refused to answer
ABC journalist Leigh Sales has gone head-to-head with home affairs minister Peter Dutton on last night’s episode of 7.30.
Sales, who became increasingly frustrated with the minister's attempt to spin facts, lashed out and asked, “It’s a simple question, why can’t you answer?”
Dutton’s appearance on the show came shortly after the Government’s historic 75-74 defeat in the House of Representatives regarding a bill that would see refugees on Manus Island and Nauru transferred to Australia if they require urgent medical assistance.
The asylum seekers will only be allowed to enter the country if two doctors and a minister consider their condition to be either life-threatening or on the verge of causing disability.
This is the first time a government has been defeated in a substantive policy vote on the floor of the House since 1941.
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Dutton, who tried to place the blame on the opposition, said that due to Labor’s misguided decision, multiple boats carrying refugees will reach Australian shores.
“This puts Australia back on the map for people smugglers and Bill Shorten has that on his shoulders,” he told Sales.
“We’ve closed 19 detention centres and Mr Shorten, along with the Greens, has taken a decision that he will unravel that success,” he added.
According to Dutton, the coalition removed any children that were residing in camps, and that they did not send children to offshore detention.
He also stated that many adults are now undergoing the process of being relocated to the United States and possibly New Zealand.
But Sales remained unconvinced, as she latched on to a specific accusation Dutton had made.
“Under these arrangements tonight, we have people that can come to our country from Manus or Nauru; people that have been charged with child sex offences or allegations around serious offences including murder,” said Dutton.
“And how many of those [people] are on Nauru and Manus?” asked Sales.
“I would suggest to you that Australians don’t want those people,” he said before Sales interrupted, as she was visibly agitated that Dutton claimed that those in detention were violent criminals but had no proof to back up his statement.
“How many are on Nauru and Manus? People charged with serious offences like child sex offences?” she asked.
“We will release that detail if it is appropriate,” answered Dutton.
“Well you’re the relevant minister, I’m asking you tonight,” Sales snapped back, but Dutton firmly stood his ground.
This was just one heated exchange the pair were embroiled in.
Sales then interrogated Dutton on his claims that people smugglers would bring back their boats due to the legislation passing.
“The bill only applies to people who are currently on Nauru and Manus. How is it going to make it attractive and fill the place?” she asked.
“At the last election Bill Shorten was saying there was no difference on Operation Sovereign Borders between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party,” Dutton responded.
“No, that’s not what I asked,” interjected Sales, who was trying her best to make the minister answer her question.
“The point I’m making, is you couldn’t believe what Bill Shorten says when it comes to border protection. He says one thing before the election and he does the opposite after,” said Dutton.
But that wasn’t the end of the heated exchange, as the journalist asked a question that Dutton refused to answer.
In what would be the biggest conflict of the night, Sales proceeded with saying that she had never gotten the chance to ask this question as Dutton hadn’t appeared on 7.30 since the August leadership spill.
“Malcolm Turnbull was asked why he wasn’t the Prime Minister anymore and he replied it is a question he can’t answer, and that people should ask you among others. So why isn’t he?” she asked.
Dutton's response was blunt, as he said he had answered that question during Christmas time and refused to get into it.
“I’m sure our viewers would be interested to hear your response, whether you’ve answered it before or not,” said Sales.
“I dealt with these issues at Christmas,” he repeated.
“It is a pretty simple question isn’t it? Why isn’t Malcolm Turnbull still Prime Minister?”
“I answered it at Christmas,” he said once again.
“Don’t you think viewers might be bothered that you can’t answer that in a straightforward manner?” pushed Sales.
“I want to make sure that we can stop the boats and keep our economy strong and that’s the only thing I’m focused on,” he said.
“We’ve gone through that,” said Sales as she continued, saying, “But you were stopping boats and keeping the economy strong under Malcolm Turnbull?”
But once again Dutton responded with one word, simply saying, “Christmas”.
“One sentence. One sentence. Why did you change leaders?” asked Sales.
But no luck, as Dutton said the word “Christmas” six times, and none of those were in reference to Christmas Island – a place where asylum seekers once arrived to find refuge.
Did you see Leigh Sales' heated exchange with Peter Dutton on 7.30? What do you think of the interview? Let us know in the comments below.