‘Train wreck of an interview’: Dutton continues attack on Albanian ‘disaster ministers’ responsible for Australians’ safety

On Wednesday morning, Ms O’Neil appeared on Sunrise, where host Natalie Barr pressed her on live television about whether she would step down from her role. The minister turned it around and called out the opposition for “playing politics” before insisting the government was doing its best.

It comes after the brutal bashing of a Perth grandmother, Ninette Simons, 73, allegedly by a former immigration detainee, 43-year-old Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, who was one of about 154 detainees released from indefinite detention last November were released.

“I think it was a bit disappointing yesterday to see the opposition immediately playing politics on this issue,” Ms O’Neil said.

“I didn’t hear them make any suggestions about anything that could have been done differently.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Dutton was asked about Ms O’Neil’s refusal to take responsibility for the released prisoners fiasco, after previously saying both ministers “cannot continue in their jobs”.

“Well I watched the Sunrise interview with Clare O’Neil this morning, it was a train wreck of an interview. It lurched from disaster to disaster,” Dutton said.

“It shows that Clare O’Neil is completely and utterly out of her depth.”

Mr Dutton then targeted her deputy immigration minister, Andrew Giles, after promising Parliament that released prisoners would be electronically monitored and tracked before multiple perpetrators committed serious crimes.

“Minister Giles is in some kind of witness protection program because we haven’t seen him at all,” Dutton said.

‘He should stand in front of the media to explain what the hell happened and how it won’t happen again.

“Minister Giles promised Parliament that these people would be monitored electronically, surveillance would be put in place, and no Australian had anything to fear from these people being released into the community.”

It was revealed that Doukoshkan was released on bail three times in 2024, with the most recent event happening just days before the alleged bashing of the elderly couple.

Mr Dutton said Mr Giles “couldn’t even be bothered” to instruct Australian government lawyers to oppose the bail application.

Both Ms O’Neil and Mr Giles have faced calls for their resignation as the opposition accused the government of failing to protect the Australian community.

“This terrible crime, heinous crime, against an elderly Australian woman might not have happened if the minister had done his job,” Mr Dutton said.

“Clare O’Neil, I mean, she walks around with a blindfold on, she has no idea what she’s doing. Anthony Albanese needs to stop being weak and show the strength of leadership.

“Go and act as prime minister and do what is in the best interest of our country.”