The Immigration Department has contradicted its earlier version of what happened during a shooting on Manus Island on Good Friday, revealing that nine people were injured as “many” shots were fired into the refugee compound by PNG defence force personnel.
Key points:
- Immigration Department Secretary Mike Pezzullo says “quite a number of shots” were fired into the compound
- An earlier statement originally said only one weapon was fired and no-one was injured
- Mr Pezzullo stressed to Senate estimates that the original statement was based on the information available at the time
A statement from the department originally said a weapon was fired into the air and no-one was injured.
But department secretary Mike Pezzullo corrected that today, telling a Senate Estimates hearing “it appears that the number of weapons deployed was greater than one”.
“Some shots — quite a number it seems — were fired laterally into the compound,” he said.
“Many more shots were fired.
“It was an unacceptable — from our point of view — breakdown in the discipline of the relevant personnel who went to their accommodation accessed those weapons and fired those rounds.”
He stressed to the committee that the original statement was based on the information available at the time.
Border Force Assistant Commissioner Kingsley Woodford-Smith told the Senate committee nine people were injured, none seriously.
He said five were service providers, one was a PNG Defence Force Officer, another was employed by the Immigration Department and two were asylum seekers living in the compound.
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