Feud escalates as former Border Force chief refers the minister to the speaker over question time spray

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The public battle between Roman Quaedvlieg and Peter Dutton has sunk further with the former Border Force commissioner referring the home affairs minister to the speaker of the House of Representatives.

Quaedvlieg has called on Tony Smith to issue a sanction after Dutton used the cover of parliamentary privilege to accuse his former colleague of “grooming” a young woman.

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Quaedvlieg said on social media: “I watched question time and heard a minister accuse me of being sexual predator. I then heard the prime minister on the ABC endorsing that sledging”.

“I’ve written to the speaker - this is not what privilege is for.”

The woman referred to is Quaedvlieg’s partner, who is an adult, and over whose employment at Sydney airport Quaedvlieg faced investigation, and, ultimately, dismissal from the ABF.

Roman Quaedvlieg (@quaedvliegs) Curious, stuttering, rambling comments.



What was that 2002 comment re mates in the QLD Police? I left the Qld Police in 2000.



Grooming? Are you serious? That has a legislative meaning. Is that what he meant?



Parliamentary privilege huh?

Quaedvlieg said the community would find the slur alleged against him abhorrent. “Talk to anyone in the community and put together the words ‘groomed’ and ‘girl’ & see where their mind goes, let alone an ex-police officer, let alone one who has investigated offences against children.”

The Guardian understands Quaedvlieg complained about the use of the word “groomed” and asked the speaker to consider what remedy was most appropriate.

In question time on Monday, Dutton unleashed on the former Border Force chief, branding him the Labor party’s Godwin Grech and accusing him of “grooming” a woman 30 years his junior.

Facing sustained questions on Tuesday about the au pair controversy, Dutton went on the offensive in parliament, warning Labor not to rely on information from Quaedvlieg, because he had been proven already to be “discredited”.

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The question time savaging followed a fresh revelation Dutton had asked Quaedvlieg to advise two Queensland police officers about getting jobs with the security agency.

“This smear is coming from the former Australian Border Force commissioner,” Dutton said. “A man who, as commissioner, was sacked from his position – a man who had groomed a girl 30 years younger than himself.”

The former Border Force chief hit back quickly on social media. “Grooming? Are you serious? That has a legislative meaning. Is that what he meant?” Quaedvlieg said on Twitter just after question time.

Quaedvlieg later responded at greater length, saying Dutton had personally attacked him simply because he, in his capacity as former ABF commissioner, had provided evidence to the Senate au pair inquiry, “in order to assist the Senate committee to fulfil its obligations”.

“Mr Dutton’s attacks on my character, reputation, motivations, integrity and mental health appear to have arisen from the simple actions I have described above,” he said.

“It is extraordinary behaviour from a cabinet minister to pre-emptively impugn the character and reputation of a witness attempting to engage properly in a parliamentary process which ostensibly affords the same privilege to that witness that he, Mr Dutton, comfortably shielded under today to accuse me of the criminal offence of sexual grooming.

“While errors of fact can be made, and tolerated where corrected, personal smears to the tenor of those made by Mr Dutton with respect to his parliamentary statement today that I ‘groomed a girl...’ are disgusting and offensive and I call on him to formally withdraw that comment.”

Quaedvlieg was sacked for misbehaviour in March and is the subject of a corruption investigation over allegations he helped a junior staff member with whom he was in a relationship get a job at Sydney airport.

The two men have fallen out spectacularly in recent weeks, with Dutton rejecting the former commissioner’s interventions in the au pair controversy, and questioning his mental health.

Quaedvlieg said on Tuesday he had been deemed sufficiently credible by his former boss to speak to the media about sensitive portfolio matters during his tenure, “but now that it doesn’t suit I’m supposedly not credible?”

Roman Quaedvlieg (@quaedvliegs) While we’re on the subject of credibility...so I’m credible enough to throw in front of a pack of cameras to defuse the Operation Fortitude explosion, and to ask me to talk to Bolt to back in comments on PNG riots, but now that it doesn’t suit I’m supposedly not credible? Right.

Dutton has been under pressure about the use of his discretionary powers to grant au pairs tourist visas. The new development on Tuesday was a revelation that, when Quaedvlieg was the head of customs, Dutton asked him to help two police officers, Matt Stock and John Lewis, get jobs at the new Border Force agency, which began operations in July 2015.

Dutton did not deny the intervention, saying only, “any suggestion that the minister has acted inappropriately is ridiculous ... Quaedvlieg is a disenchanted individual who is bitter about his termination from the role of ABF commissioner.”

Guardian Australia understands Quaedvlieg met the pair and gave advice on how to get jobs with the agency but was not involved in the interview, shortlisting or selection process.

Stock got the job of superintendent and later worked for Dutton as a liaison officer between ABF and the minister’s office. Lewis was offered a job but turned it down because it was located outside Brisbane.

Dutton excoriated the new reports, declaring “these attacks of a personal nature” were based on “lies”. He said the police officer gained employment “completely on merit” after a distinguished career in the service.

Rounding on Labor in question time, Dutton said any suggestion to the contrary should be made outside of the parliament – meaning without the protection of parliamentary privilege.