The comments drew anger from Lebanese Australian Muslims but Mr Dutton stood by his words, claiming he was only referring to those that had been charged with terrorism offences. Mr Dutton also took aim at Lebanese Muslim Immigrants, saying during a parliamentary debate in 2016 that it was a "mistake" by the Malcom Fraser government to allow them to settle in Australia. Mr Dutton was speaking with then Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison before the meeting and joked about a previous meeting Mr Abbott attended at Port Moresby that ran late, saying: “Time doesn’t mean anything when you’re, you know, about to have water lapping at your door.” Comments on Lebanese immigration Rising seas jokeĪn open microphone caught Mr Dutton joking about rising sea levels in Pacific nations before a community meeting on Syrian refugees in 2015. The scandal sparked a senate inquiry as Mr Dutton claimed he had no personal connection to either case, but he hung onto his job despite the inquiry recommending he be censured. Mr Dutton was also implicated in the case of stopping a French au pair’s deportation after lobbying from AFL CEO Gillan McLachlan who was related to the family the au pair worked for. One of the au pairs from Italy had worked for a former colleague of Mr Dutton’s in the Queensland Police, and after she was due to be deported for breaching her visa conditions, Mr Dutton used his Ministerial powers to reverse the decision. In 2015 it was revealed that Mr Dutton and other senior bureaucrats at the Department of Immigration had intervened in granting visas to two au pairs. Senator Hanson-Young’s claims were later confirmed by the Immigration Department and Wilson Security who carried out the operation. Mr Dutton denied the claims saying: “She loves the camera and she loves to see her own name in the paper.” Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young accused Mr Dutton of spying on her during a visit to the detention facility on Nauru in 2015. The comments caused a stir nationally and internationally and at the election his margin fell from 7.6 to 1.6 points against Labor candidate Linda Lavarch. Mr Dutton publicly criticised refugees as "illiterate and innumerate" and "taking Australian jobs" before the 2016 election. Mr Dutton drafted a text message to Briggs describing Maiden as a "mad ***** witch" but accidentally sent it directly to Maiden, forcing him to apologise to her. In 2016, News Corp Sunday political editor Samantha Maiden wrote a column critical of former Liberal MP Jamie Briggs.
He later said he regretted boycotting the apology. He explained his boycott saying that it would not “deliver tangible outcomes to kids who are being raped and tortured in communities in the 21st century.” In 2008, Mr Dutton chose not to be present in the Parliament chamber when then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the apology to the stolen generations. What controversies has Peter Dutton been involved in? Stolen generations apology
'We will never’: Dutton's frank warning to China over demands Scott Morrison responds to Chinese spy ship 'watching' Australia: 'STAND UP'Īustralia's border reopening delayed over Omicron concerns Mr Dutton lost the ballot but Turnbull resigned, with Scott Morrison eventually being voted in as leader over Mr Dutton. In August 2018 discontent with Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership resulted in a leadership ballot, to which Mr Dutton was the main challenger. In later reshuffles Mr Dutton became Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2014-17), Minister for Home Affairs (2017-2021) and Minister for Defence (May 2021- current). When the Coalition won government at the 2013 election under Tony Abbott, he appointed Mr Dutton Minister for Health and Minister for Sport. Mr Dutton was elected to the Division of Dickson at the 2001 election, defeating Labor's Cheryl Kernot. Peter Dutton identifies as a Christian but his public activities are rare. Mr Dutton left Queensland Police in 1999 following injuries sustained in an accident on duty where his unmarked car rolled while in pursuit of an escaped prisoner. He worked in the Drug Squad, the Sex Offenders Squad and the National Crime Authority. Mr Dutton was a police officer in Queensland for nine years from 1990. He is also a descendant of Captain Richard James Coley, who was Queensland's first Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr Dutton is the great, great grandson of the pastoralist squatter and former Queensland lands minister Charles Boydell Dutton. What is Peter Dutton's ethnic background? He married his second wife, Kirilly (née Brumby) in 2003, with whom he has two sons. Mr Dutton had a short-lived marriage at the age of 22. Who is Peter Dutton married to? Does he have children? Minister for Defence Peter Dutton was a Queensland police officer for nine years.