Fairfax Media has been told Mr Quaedvlieg sought a severance payout of $250,000 when he was negotiating his exit from the job. He allegedly threatened to retaliate against the government after the request was refused. Mr Quaedvlieg denied the claims. “The allegation that I demanded a $250,000 separation payment is incorrect. The allegation that I threatened retaliation if this $250,000 separation payment was not made, is false,” he said. “Furthermore, the facts are that I was actually threatened, and my partner was threatened, if I didn’t resign and go quietly. I refused to resign under that threat because it was tantamount to an admission of guilt and I have, and still do, strenuously deny the allegations.” On Tuesday, amid ongoing scrutiny of Mr Dutton's conduct, Fairfax Media reported he pressed Mr Quaedvlieg in 2014 to help two Queensland policemen get jobs in the newly formed Border Force. In response to questions from Labor, the Home Affairs Minister said the former senior official was spreading lies.

"This smear is coming from the former Australian Border Force commissioner, a man who was, as commissioner, sacked from his position. He was a man who had groomed a girl 30 years younger than himself. He is discredited and disgraced," Mr Dutton told Parliament. "He is somebody that the Labor Party should not rely on. A lot has been promised to the Labor Party but it's clear to me that Roman Quaedvlieg is your Godwin Grech." Mr Grech famously provided Mr Turnbull with an email that formed the basis of damaging allegations against former prime minister Kevin Rudd. But Mr Grech, who was struggling with poor health and pursuing a personal agenda, was found to have faked the correspondence. The scandal contributed to Mr Turnbull's downfall as leader in 2009. Former Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg (left) and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. (Digitally altered image) Credit:Fairfax Media Labor hopes of claiming Mr Dutton's scalp over the scandal took a hit on Tuesday when a fiery question time attack failed to land a substantial blow.

Mr Quaedvlieg immediately responded to Mr Dutton's attack, labelling it "extraordinary behaviour" and demanding the comments be withdrawn. He noted Mr Dutton made the remarks under parliamentary privilege, protecting him from legal action. Loading "Grooming? Are you serious? That has a legislative meaning. Is that what he meant?" Mr Quaedvlieg said on Twitter. Mr Dutton has been weathering a political storm overs separate decisions in 2015 to save two au pairs from deportation. He has been accused of helping out friends and well-connected figures, sparking concerns about fairness and consistency in Australia's immigration system. The Home Affairs Minister has also rejected claims he misled Parliament when he categorically denied having personal connections to the people involved in the visa matters. One of the au pairs was coming to Australia to stay with a former police colleague of Mr Dutton's.

In a subsequent statement, Mr Quaedvlieg downplayed his role in the visa saga and called Mr Dutton's attack "disgusting and offensive". The former Border Force chief said Mr Dutton had accused him of "the criminal offence of sexual grooming". Fairfax Media has reported Mr Dutton also assisted a friend, Matt Stock, to get a job with Border Force. Mr Stock later entered Mr Dutton's office as a liaison officer from the agency. "The officer that you spoke of is a decorated and distinguished officer over 20 years of service with the Queensland Police Service," Mr Dutton said when asked about the matter in Question Time. "He applied for a job with Australian Border Force. There was no interference with that process. He went through the organisational requirements and he was employed by Australian Border Force and he was done so completely on merit." Prime Minister Scott Morrison, also a former Immigration Minister, backed his leadership rival over the ex-Border Force boss.