Dutton denies raid link

HOME Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has denied triggering a raid on his own federal department by police investigating the leaking of emails relating to the au pair saga.

“I knew nothing of the raid, it’s an issue for the AFP,” he told reporters in Brisbane yesterday.

“The AFP make their own decision about execution of warrants and investigation of matters. It is nothing to do with me as the minister.”

The Department of Home Affairs offices in Canberra were raided on Thursday after the AFP agreed to investigate the leak on August 30.

The internal emails showed Mr Dutton’s office demanded an au pair detained at Brisbane airport be given urgent consideration for a visa. The minister (above) had told parliament he did not know the nanny’s employer, but it was later revealed to be a former colleague from his time as Queensland police officer.

Mr Dutton maintained they had not spoken in the 20 years prior to the visa assistance.

The emails also showed the department expressly disagreed with Mr Dutton’s push to give a visa to another au pair detained in Adelaide in November 2015.