Prime Minister Scott Morrison has very clearly picked a side in the feud between Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and former Australian Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg.
Mr Morrison was asked about the ongoing war of words between the two on ABC's 7:30 on Tuesday and if he backed Mr Dutton.
"Yes, I do ... I worked with Roman when I was the Immigration and Border Protection minister and I'm disappointed that the claims that he's making now are being so palpably demonstrated to be false," he said.
"They lack complete credibility and I'm disappointed that he has made these false claims and sought to sledge the character of Peter Dutton.
Former Australian Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg has urged Labor to shore up its border policy. (AAP) Source: AAP
"Mr Dutton has done a great job taking over from me when I was the Immigration and Border Protection minister. He has done an outstanding job on securing our borders."
It came after a dramatic day between Mr Dutton and Mr Quaedvlieg on Tuesday.
Mr Dutton used parliamentary privilege to respond to claims he helped secure jobs for two former police colleagues.
"This smear is coming from the former Australian Border Force commissioner, a man who was as commissioner sacked from his position he was a man who groomed a girl 30 years younger than himself ... He is discredited and disgraced." he said.
In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Quaedvlieg said Mr Dutton’s comments were "disgusting and offensive".
Previously, Mr Quaedvlieg wrote to the Senate inquiry into Mr Dutton's actions as a minister.
He alleged he was asked by the minister's chief of staff to help a "mate" of Mr Dutton by preventing the deportation of a young European au pair, who had been detained by Border Force on suspicion of a visa breach.
Peter Dutton on September 3. Source: AAP
Mr Morrison also used the interview to dismiss claims of systematic bullying against women in the Liberal party and swatted away the notion of gender quotas.
"This is a very torrid business, as we know ... [But] there was no sort of gender-specific actions that related to what is, some would call very intense lobbying, which is fairly normal in the political process, albeit not edifying."
"[Quotas are] never something I have supported ... I don't believe quotas are the way you remove obstacles."
But the prime minister did throw his support behind protections for religious freedoms.
"I can guarantee all Australians that their religious freedoms will be protected by law if necessary," he said.
"I want parents to continue to have a complete right of choice when they send that their kids to a faith-based school that the faith-based nature of those schools is protected. I want to make sure if people have particular religious views they won't be discriminated against."
