Peter Dutton overrules officials, helps former colleague get Italian au pair into Australia

Peter Dutton used his ministerial powers to ensure an Italian au pair planning to work for a former Queensland Police colleague could stay in the country, the ABC understands.

Key points:

Peter Dutton overruled department officials to grant an Italian au pair a tourist visa
The ABC understands the woman was planning to work for a former police colleague of Mr Dutton
Mr Dutton's office has strongly denied any wrongdoing

The revelation comes just days after it emerged the Home Affairs Minister freed a French au pair from detention after AFL boss Gillon McLachlan got involved in that case.

Documents show the Italian woman, Michela Marchisio, was detained at Brisbane International Airport in June 2015 because Border Force believed she planned to work as a babysitter, in breach of her tourist visa.

Mr Dutton's office, which has strongly denied any wrongdoing, asked the department for information about the case, and a senior officer warned "the grant of a visitor visa is of high risk".

But on June 17, Mr Dutton overruled the officials and said granting a three-month tourist visa to the woman was "in the interests of Australia as a humane and generous society".

On the same day, Ms Marchisio posted on social media saying "first night in Australia … FINALLY" with four packs of Tim Tams, before posting photos from Brisbane landmarks over the coming days.

The ABC understands Ms Marchisio was planning to work for Nicole and Russell Keag.

Image of a couple with their children in a tropical location

Mr Keag worked in the Queensland Police Service at same time as Mr Dutton during the late 1990s.

It is unclear whether the Keag family lobbied Mr Dutton directly, or whether the Minister was aware of the family's connection to Ms Marchisio.

Facebook posts suggest Ms Marchisio spent time with the family until at least August, but the ABC is not suggesting she breached her visa conditions.

"Any suggestions cases are determined on any other basis, including whether he knew the individual who referred the matter, is completely false," a spokeswoman for Mr Dutton said.

"There are long standing intervention powers provided to Ministers to consider and deal with these representations. These powers were the same under the former Labor Government."

A picture of a woman standing in front of Brisbane's Storey Bridge

Senate inquiry to probe intervention

Both European au pair interventions will be scrutinised by a Senate inquiry launched by Federal Labor to maintain pressure on Mr Dutton and seek a formal explanation from officials.

Before ensuring the French au pair, Alexandra Deuwel, could stay in the country, Mr Dutton was told his intervention could have financial consequences, and there was detail "which does not support the Minister intervening".

A young woman wearing a white cardigan and T shirt poses against a white wall.

The Minister's office was lobbied by Gillon McLachlan after the AFL chief was contacted by his second-cousin Callum MacLachlan, whose family Ms Deuwel was staying with.

Callum's father, Hugh MacLachlan, is a generous donor to the Liberal Party, although Mr Dutton's office says he was not aware of that when the decision was made.

Mr Dutton has this week strongly denied any wrongdoing and says hundreds of people including politicians and journalists lobby for immigration ministers for visa interventions.

The immigration minister has wide-ranging powers to allow people into the country, even if it goes against departmental advice.

Decision based on 'common sense'

On Thursday, Mr Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB he approved the French au pair's visa based on "common sense" and stressed he had "never been compromised" and never would be.

Mr Maclachlan shakes someone's hand, as Mr Dutton watches on while buttoning his jacket.

"I made decisions based on the merits of these cases, that's exactly what I've done and I stand by the decision," he said.

"I looked at it and thought it's a bit rough, there's no criminal history, she's agreed the she wouldn't work while I was there."

In March, Mr Dutton told Parliament that the two women had come to Australia on a tourist visa and declared they intended to babysit while in the country.

"The decision that was taken … that those two young tourists would be detained and that they would be deported. I looked into the circumstances of those two cases and I thought that inappropriate," he said.

Ms Keag declined to comment when approached by the ABC.

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