Senior Home Affairs officials have been grilled in parliament over the employment of a Canberra man who was being investigated by police for child sex offences.
Yesterday, Stephen Mitchell, 57, was sentenced to more than 13 years in jail for a raft of child sex offences, which police had been investigating prior to his employment with the Department of Home Affairs.
Last year, Mitchell returned from a one-year posting in Indonesia after he had been granted a high-level security clearance.
Today, in Senate estimates, Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo addressed Mitchell's public service employment for the first time since his conviction.
"There can be no worse thing that you can do to a child or a person in your care … and it's just heart-wrenching to hear some of the testimony from victims about the impact that his actions have had on their lives," Mr Pezzullo said.
"We join all members of the community in expressing our repugnance of the crimes."
Greens senator David Shoebridge used Senate estimates to grill Mr Pezzullo over Mitchell's appointment.
"There was a longstanding, detailed police investigation by the ACT police that well predated the employment with Home Affairs and the provision of the security vetting," Mr Shoebridge said.
"How was he given a job in Home Affairs?" Mr Shoebridge asked.
In response, Mr Pezzullo said the question would be taken on notice and the department would report back on the "sequence of events around his employment".
"It is important to note that security clearance relates to national security and foreign intelligence risks," Mr Pezzullo said.
"They do police checks, but, typically, unless there's an active investigation that the AFP or relevant state or territory police force disclose, it's not particularly pertinent necessarily to the holding of a clearance."
Home Affairs chief operating officer Justine Saunders said the department was in the dark.
"We did not become aware of the criminal allegations until immediately prior to his prosecution for these matters and it was at that time that we worked closely with ACT police in regards to the treatment of Mr Mitchell whilst he was in the employment of Home Affairs," she said.
Mitchell is due to face court in August on fraud charges related to his security clearance.
Mr Shoebridge said, "years of omissions and silence" from government agencies that "employed, advanced and endorsed" Mitchell, had left many with questions.
"Survivors deserve answers," he said.
'Gross disparity of power,' court hears upon sentencing
In addition to his role with Home Affairs, Mitchell had also been employed as a rock climbing coach and youth worker with Police Community Youth Club (PCYC) in Canberra.
He has been convicted of seven sexual offences against six girls between 1994 and 2008, including charges of persistent abuse of a child and maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.
In handing down Mitchell's sentence yesterday, Justice David Mossop said Mitchell had abused a "gross disparity of age and power".
He said the abuse had "long-lasting and fundamental effects on the victims", in some cases leading to "anxiety, a lack of trust, and perceived lack of self-worth".
Four of the survivors banded together as they left the ACT Supreme Court, with Elizabeth Hall making a statement to the media.
"Thank you to the other victims, if we'd not found each other we would all still be isolated and silent," she said.
"Achieving justice has been healing … but it has been difficult, too difficult.
"I'm glad he's in jail."
Mitchell will be eligible for parole in May 2032.
