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March 31, 2025
Transcript – 2GB Ben Fordham Live
31 March 2025
E&OE
BEN FORDHAM:
A terrifying incident unfolded over the weekend in Melbourne. Police were called to a home after reports of a disturbance involving the former detainee Masi Ayiik. Things took a turn for the worse when police arrived and attempted to arrest the 33 year old. He broke free and allegedly grabbed a large metal pole before he started chasing officers down the street. Police tried to contain the 33 year old using capsicum spray, but they were forced to fire a shot, they say. And it's understood that Masi Ayiik has a lengthy rap sheet. He's previously faced deportation for serious offences, but thanks to the High Court decision, he was released. And since then, he's allegedly breached his visa conditions. And he's also been wanted on previous outstanding assault warrants. Senator James Paterson is the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs. He joins us live on the line. James, good morning to you.
JAMES PATERSON:
Good morning, Ben.
BEN FORDHAM:
Well, no one can say that you didn't warn people.
JAMES PATERSON:
No. And this is yet another massive failure on community safety by the Labor party and by the Albanese government. The parliament gave the government powers 16 months ago which allowed them to preventively detain people from this cohort who represented a risk to the community. But in that time, the Labor party has not applied for a single preventive detention order, despite spending $22 million on lawyers' fees looking into it.
BEN FORDHAM:
So they could have applied to keep him locked up. But they didn't?
JAMES PATERSON:
Exactly right. And what's even more disturbing is, as you say, he's allegedly breached his visa conditions multiple times. There is supposed to be mandatory minimum sentences for someone who breached their visa conditions. And yet he was out free in the community. So the Labor Party must stand up and explain today. How did he get out? Why was he not in custody? Why hasn't he been preventively detained? Because this could have been prevented.
BEN FORDHAM:
Well, that's what everyone would be thinking. Because you got this guy who was released when he was given strict visa conditions, allegedly breached these conditions in December and again in January. Also wanted on previous outstanding assault warrants. The average person on the street would be saying, what are they doing out in the community?
JAMES PATERSON:
And the disturbing thing about this is he's just one of the 300 people that Anthony Albanese released into the community following that High Court decision. And of those 300, 100 of them have gone on to commit another offence since they were released by the Labor party into the community. This is a highly recidivist cohort. They are out there every day committing new offences against Australians, and frankly, they never should have been in our country in the first place. They should have been deported or, at the very least, locked up.
BEN FORDHAM:
And just last week, we heard from the grandmother who became the face of this saga, and Ninette Simons, who was allegedly attacked in her home by a group which included a released immigration detainee. She's the one who was battered and bruised, and her whole face was black and blue. She says I still have the shakes. I get lots of anxiety at night, I toss and turn. So her life is changed forever. And the same could probably be said for the police officers involved in the incident in Melbourne over the weekend.
JAMES PATERSON:
Well, exactly right. And Ninette Simons has said she feels abandoned by the Albanese government and the truth is they have abandoned all Australians when it comes to community safety, whether it's this issue or the Direction 99 deportation issue or the antisemitism crisis that's festered on their watch. We have a weak Prime Minister who's not willing to make the tough decisions in the national interest. Peter Dutton would be a very different leader of this country.
BEN FORDHAM:
We appreciate your time. Thanks so much for joining us.
JAMES PATERSON:
Thanks, Ben.
ENDS