‘More than a joke’: Home Affairs and Immigration Ministers fail to organize even one press conference over immigration detainee disaster

Home Secretary Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles have not held media conferences since news broke on Monday that released immigration detainee Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan allegedly beat up a 73-year-old cancer patient.

The decision to remove the 43-year-old Kuwaiti man’s ankle bracelet was made in March before Doukoshkan allegedly burst into Ninette Simons’ home on April 16, beat her and tied up her 76-year-old husband.

Sky News presenter Kieran Gilbert has slammed ministers for turning their backs on the media as the public searches for answers.

Despite the lack of media appearances, Mr Giles visited Rivergum Cricket Club on Friday, where he paraded his social media, a fact Gilbert called “more than a joke”.

“It is embarrassing for Minister Giles to see such a post at a time like this when Australians want to be reassured about safety,” Gilbert said.

“Following the shocking bashing of Ninette Simons, allegedly by a former detainee, and the minister has not held a press conference.”

Instead, the minister appeared at the Rivergum Cricket Club on Friday to discuss youth involvement in the sport.

‘He’s posting about a cricket club this afternoon. It’s becoming a parody and I think it’s almost inevitable that the Prime Minister will have to ban Andrew Giles from immigration,” Gilbert said.

Although ministers have avoided press conferences on the situation, Mr Giles’ office did release a statement to Sky News about the decision that led to the alleged attack on Ms Simons.

“The Community Protection Board made recommendations on the management and visa conditions of all individuals, and a representative of the minister subsequently granted conditional visas taking into account this advice from the board,” the office of the immigration minister said.

However, Prime Minister Albanese appeared to contradict the explanation, stating on Friday morning that the Community Protection Council, and not the minister’s delegate, had made the final decision.

“I think that is a wrong decision by that board. But they make decisions independently(st)…. One of the things we have in this country is the division there,” Albanese said.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten later told Sky News that the safeguarding council had made recommendations to the minister’s office, which then made the decision.

“We have set up an independent protection council because they are the experts. They are the ones who make the recommendations. We will go with what they say,” Mr Shorten said.

He agreed with the Prime Minister that the decision taken was wrong.

Watch Kieran Gilbert on Friday’s NewsDay in full below with the new SkyNews.com.au streaming subscription.

Doukoshkan had to appear in court three times in the run-up to his alleged attack on 73-year-old Ninette Simons, including for violating visa conditions.

Despite this, his bail was not opposed by the Commonwealth.

Mrs O’Neil has made one appearance on breakfast television this week and Mr Giles has made one appearance on the radio. Neither has held a press conference.

The Immigration Minister said on Wednesday he was seeking information from the three-member Community Protection Board.

The coalition has been highly critical of the Labor government over its handling of the issue.

Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan told SkyNews.com.au on Friday that the public expects their “elected officials to stand up and explain what went wrong”.

“Australians just want to hear from the Immigration Minister about what the government is doing to keep them safe, especially after one of the detainees Labor released into the community allegedly beat and robbed a cancer survivor grandmother.

“But Andrew Giles can’t find five minutes in his day to reassure Australians about their safety, although he does find time to go to his local cricket club,” Tehan said.

Sky News presenter Kieran Gilbert has also called on both ministers to appear in the media.

“What we need is a little clarity for the camera. That is what ministers must do in times of crisis: front up,” he said.