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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Daniel Hurst Foreign affairs and defence correspondent

Australia fast-tracked visas for Afghan army officers after warning of negative publicity, documents show

People line up to board the first Australian Defence Force evacuation flight at night in Kabul, Afghanistan in August 2021
A briefing to defence minister Peter Dutton, obtained under FOI laws, said a group of Afghan army officers was “at considerable risk” of Taliban retribution. Photograph: Sgt Glen Mccarthy/ADF/AFP/Getty Images

The Morrison government fast-tracked visas for 11 Afghan army officers who studied at Australian defence colleges after officials warned Peter Dutton a failure to help them would generate negative news stories, documents reveal.

A briefing to the defence minister, obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information laws, said the group was “of high profile and at considerable risk” of Taliban retribution.

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