Tony Abbott calls ABF press release ‘over the top,’ says it was a ‘mistake’

Australian Border Force will never stop Australian people for random visa checks, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said. The PM said an Australian Border Force press release declaring the same was a “mistake” and did not represent government policies.

According to Abbott, the prime minister’s office has not been aware of the joint agency operation in Melbourne. ABF announced Operation Fortitude for cracking down on visa fraud. Victoria Police cancelled the operation on Friday following a huge public protests and outcry.

PM Abbott called the press release “over the top.” "I want to make it absolutely crystal clear, as far as this government is concerned, people will never be stopped in the street randomly and asked for their visa details," ABC quoted Abbott. "That's the sort of thing that would never, ever happen in this country."

Abbott said he was not sure which official had issued the press release. "What was happening as part of this Victorian police operation to, I gather, crack down on anti-social and unlawful activity at transport hubs, was that anyone who the Victorian police suspected might have a visa issue would then be referred to Australian Border Force in the normal way," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted the prime minister. "Nothing untoward happened except for the issue of a poorly worded press release."

It was Don Smith, the ABF regional commander for Victoria and Tasmania, whom the press release quoted. Smith said after the cancellation of the operation that the press release had been “very, very badly worded.” He agreed with Abbott that random people would never be stopped for visa enquiry.

The Australian PM, however, said he would not seek answers from Smith. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, he seems to absolve Immigration Minister Peter Dutton of responsibility as well.

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