Labor is demanding that the immigration minister Peter Dutton apologise for “irresponsible and outrageous” commentary about the origins of a violent disturbance on Manus Island.
The shadow immigration minister Shayne Neumann told Guardian Australia Dutton needed to apologise for linking an incident when armed men stormed the compound, and a separate incident involving a child – an account which has been contradicted by detainees on Manus Island and by the local top police officer, David Yapu.
Dutton dug in behind his controversial comments on Sunday, despite the comprehensive rebuttal from people on the ground.
“Peter Dutton’s comments are irresponsible and outrageous,” Neumann said. “They preempt the findings of a PNG investigation and have been denied by authorities on the ground. Peter Dutton should know better and immediately apologise.”
Neumann called on the Turnbull government to be upfront about the violent incident on Manus Island, saying the “culture of secrecy must change”.
“Labor supports a full investigation into how this incident began, who is responsible and how authorities responded,” he said. “The Australian and PNG governments must work together to ensure the safety of asylum seekers and staff living or working in Australian-funded offshore processing centres.
“People who seek asylum have a right to have their claims processed in safety and in a timely way. It appears the government is now failing on both these fronts.”
Dutton used an appearance on the ABC on Sunday to stand by his version of events. He said he was he was in possession of advice “that you don’t [have], so why don’t we let the police investigation run its course and allow them some independent analysis”.
Last week Dutton told Sky News: “I think there was concern about why the boy was being led, or for what purpose he was being led, away back into the regional processing centre. I think it’s fair to say that the mood had elevated quite quickly. I think some of the local residents were quite angry about this particular incident and another alleged sexual assault,” he said.
Yapu told Guardian Australia last Friday the events leading up to the shooting on Manus, where armed men stormed the compound, and the incident involving the child, were entirely separate incidents.
“It’s a total separate incident altogether,” Yapu said. “The incident that transpired on Friday was because a duty soldier was being assaulted by one of the asylum seekers or refugees.”
Yapu said a young boy had gone to the centre to ask for food about two weeks ago, but he was not led there and was 10, not five, as Dutton had suggested. He said the boy’s parents had not made a complaint, and police were not investigating any link between his visit and the shooting.
Dutton was asked on Sunday whether, given the police chief’s account, he now accepted he had got some of the information he shared last week badly wrong. “No, I do not,” he said.
The immigration minister insisted on Sunday the incident involving the child, and a separate sexual assault, contributed to elevating the “mood” on Manus Island before the violence. “I have that on very good authority on the island,” he said. “The parents of the boy involved in the incident might have a different view to the one that you have read off tweets.”
Dutton said his comments last week on Sky News “didn’t put any blame anywhere”. “I was asked a question as to why the mood was elevated, I’ve answered that question honestly and on advice.”
The Greens have also blasted the minister’s intervention, and have called for Dutton to exit the portfolio. Greens immigration spokesman Nick McKim said the minister’s position was now untenable.
Dutton can't keep detainees & staff safe on Manus Island and is prepared to lie to cover his incompetence. He must go. #sackdutton #insiders
— Nick McKim (@NickMcKim) April 22, 2017
