‘Haneef campaign hurts war on terror’

Although Andrews cited character issues, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has admitted the revocation of Haneef’s visa was designed to keep the hospital registrar in Australia while his court case is under way.

Howard said he had discussed Haneef’s visa with Andrews and senior members of cabinet, but had left it to the minister to decide on a course of action.

“We discussed it and it was discussed at a meeting of the National Security Committee of Cabinet, but the final decision was taken by Andrews,” Howard told a local TV channel here.

“He exercised his discretion and we didn’t seek to direct him. But often in these situations… the minister will seek the views of his colleagues and then go and make his or her decision, there’s nothing unusual about that,” Howard said.

The Prime Minister, however, declined to comment on the credibility of the prosecution case against Haneef, which has been dogged by claims and counter-claims about the handling of the police investigation.

He also ridiculed Queensland Premier Peter Beattie’s call for a Senate inquiry into the case, saying it was a matter for the courts. “If (the police) do something that’s wrong, well the courts will take account of that,” Howard said. “But for people in my position or Beattie’s position to be running a partisan campaign on this, which he plainly is, is quite wrong and it’s very unhelpful to the fight against terrorism in this country.”

“The Labor Party is playing a double game on Haneef. They are saying through opposition leader Kevin Rudd that the matter is being handled correctly, yet Rudd has his agents like the Queensland Premier out there accusing the federal police,” Howard told the ABC yesterday.

Beattie responded by telling the TV programme that he was simply raising issues he believed the Government needed to explain. “Instead of answering the question, all they are doing is trying to vilify me or attack me personally. I think Australians need to have answers to these questions.”