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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Paul Karp and Daniel Hurst

‘Astonishing’: texts reveal officials’ reaction to Morrison government election day boat arrival demand

Former prime minister Scott Morrison
Former prime minister Scott Morrison confirmed the operation to intercept an asylum seeker boat on election day in May. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Morrison government’s demand that a boat interception be announced on election day was “astonishing in form and timing” and “unprecedented”, according to the public servants involved.

Messages between the Australian Border Force and home affairs department officials, produced under freedom of information (FOI) laws, shed further light on the extreme haste to publish a statement before Scott Morrison confirmed the operation.

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