Barnaby Joyce insists the integrity of Peter Dutton should not be doubted, amid revelations the minister used his ministerial discretion powers to grant visas to two foreign au pairs.
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The home affairs minister was asked about his June 17, 2015, decision to grant a tourist visa to a foreign au pair during question time in the lower house on Monday, in response to a two-year AAP investigation.
Mr Dutton also referred to a second au pair case he intervened in on November 1, 2015.
The minister insisted he doesn't know the individuals involved and his family doesn't employ au pairs.
Mr Dutton said he has intervened in hundreds of cases to either grant or cancel visas and takes the responsibility "extremely seriously".
He said he thought it was inappropriate for the two young women to be deported.
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who last month lost his cabinet post and the Nationals Party leadership following a scandal, defended his colleague on Tuesday.
"If there's one thing I'd never doubt, it's Peter Dutton's integrity," Mr Joyce told reporters in Canberra.
Labor senator Jenny McAllister was unconvinced by Mr Dutton's explanation to parliament.
"I didn't find his statement yesterday particularly persuasive," she told reporters.
The Australian Greens have flagged they'll be pursuing the issue further.
"There's still a long way to go on this," Greens senator Nick McKim told reporters.
"There's a lot of serious questions that Minister Dutton has to answer."
Australian Associated Press
