Government and Opposition in row over legal advice on detainees

A row has opened up between the Albanese government and the Opposition over whether the Coalition wants to receive legal advice about why the government has needed to release so many criminal immigration detainees. It follows revelations Attorney General Mark Dreyfus offered to provide a briefing with legal advice on why they had to release 149 detainees in December, and the Opposition declined to show up. Sky News Australia has obtained a letter from Michaelia Cash, Dan Tehan and James Paterson to Clare O’Neil, Andrew Giles, and Mark Dreyfus penned yesterday, where they asked for another briefing and have yet to receive a response. “We note your Government is now running arguments that the Coalition is refusing to be briefed in relation to your Government’s mishandling of immigration detainees,” the letter reads. “This is disingenuous. As you know, we accepted a briefing on these matters in December last year, but it rapidly became apparent your offers were not made in good faith, given that you launched public attacks on the Coalition over a ‘refusal to engage’ at the same time as negotiations over the logistics of a briefing were ongoing. “It is very disturbing to learn that there is the risk further detainees will be released into the Australian community on your Government’s watch and that your public response appears to be to blame the courts and now the Coalition in relation to a refusal to be briefed. “We write now to seek a briefing on recent developments in relation to your government’s further mishandling of released immigration detainees and upcoming cases in the High Court. “Specifically, we write to seek a briefing on the Government’s proposed approach to the ASF17 case, listed for a hearing in the High Court on 17 April 2024, and the proposed legislation that the Government intends to introduce. . . We are happy to make ourselves available for a briefing ahead of Question Time today.”