The Australian-run immigration detention centre on Manus Island – where two young men have died in the last year; complaints of overflowing sewerage are constant; and mental health deterioration is widespread – is not exactly a place of luxury or excess for the men interned.
But as a Senate Estimates hearing today reminded us, some of those involved in running the centre have enjoyed considerably different fortunes.
The Department of Immigration has confirmed it is investigating reports that a member of its staff was involved in a $44,000 taxpayer-funded trip to China, which included lavish spending on alcohol, female escorts and other purchases of questionable relevance.
The incident allegedly occurred in June 2014 during a visit to a Chinese supply company which manufactures goods for the Manus centre.
The trip lasted just four days but, as the Financial Review revealed earlier this month, included expenditure on first-class flights, female escorts, and $410 bottles of single malt scotch.
In an occasionally combative Estimates hearing this morning, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young pushed the Department’s Secretary Michael Pezzullo on details of the Department’s knowledge of the trip, including whether he had seen any receipts breaking down its costs.
Without any good single malt on hand to soothe tempers, things got a little testy.
Pezzullo: “Like you Senator I’ve seen…”
Hanson-Young: “Have you seen the invoice?”
Pezzullo: “I’ve seen media reports of the said material…”
Hanson-Young: “So you haven’t seen the invoice?”
Pezzullo: “Senator, I run a big department. I see media reports, I say look into this, my officers…”
Hanson-Young: “So did you know about it prior to it being published in the newspaper?”
Pezzullo: “Indeed I did, because I was briefed on…”
Hanson-Young: “So have you seen the invoice?”
Pezzullo eventually snapped.
“Senator if you just, if I just answer the question that you’ve asked, allow me maybe to put a punctuation mark and then you can interrupt me after that,” he said. “Yes, I’m aware of sensitive [Department] investigations. I was briefed on those coming into the job in October. There was a case that pertained to this, I’m not going to say any more about it.”
Careful words, but still no answer.
It took an unlikely ally in Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald, to help Hanson-Young get a definitive response from the Secretary.
No, Pezzullo conceded, he hadn’t personally seen the receipt.
“So the answer is no, Senator Hanson-Young, with a bit of help from me,” Macdonald said.
The Greens Senator laughed, and continued her questions.
According to reports, the official involved travelled with three subcontractors and spent just half an hour inspecting a factory, supposedly the purpose of the trip.
The Committee was assured the Department began an investigation “without delay” after news of the incident broke, and that it would take appropriate disciplinary action against the staff member if he was shown to have been involved.
Whether that investigation will be made publicly available was not discussed.
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