More to come on Manus Island riot, Morrison says
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison admits there are still questions to be answered about the violence and death of an asylum seeker at the Manus Island detention centre.
Mr Morrison is facing calls for his sacking after acknowledging initial information he released last week was wrong.
The Greens and refugee advocates are demanding the minister’s head after he admitted that most of the violence – including the death of 23-year-old Iranian man Reza Berati – had likely happened inside the centre, not outside, as first claimed.
Mr Morrison insists initial information he released was qualified by conflicting reports of what occurred at the centre.
“There’s still a lot of questions to be answered,” he told ABC Radio on Monday, noting investigations by Papuan New Guinea police and independent reviewer.
Mr Morrison said he did not know how Mr Berati died nor would he confirm reports the young man was shot.
Labor will use parliament’s question time on Monday to pursue the minister over his conflicting explanations.
“I want to find out what actually happened on Manus Island,” opposition frontbencher Tony Burke told Sky News.
He accused Mr Morrison of being too focused on media management of the issue, rather than obtaining correct information.