Recently, an elderly couple in Perth fell victim to a home invasion robbery and violent assault by an illegal immigrant who had previously been detained, along with two other men. This incident has sparked media and public attention, with strong criticism directed towards the Federal Ministers of Immigration and Home Affairs for their handling of illegal immigrants.
On April 16th, three men posing as police officers entered the home of the elderly couple who reside in the Girrawheen area for a robbery. 73-year-old wife Ninette Simmons suffered facial bruises, bruising around her eye sockets, bleeding from the right lower eyelid and mouth, while her 76-year-old husband Philip Simmons had his hands tied behind his back. They were robbed of jewelry worth 200,000 Australian dollars.
A few days later, the Western Australian police arrested three suspects, including an illegal immigrant named Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, who had been released from a detention center. Doukoshkan, born in Kuwait and 43 years old, has been charged with assault. He has not yet entered a plea to any charges.
In November last year, following a ruling by the Australian High Court to indefinitely detain illegal immigrants found to have breached their visas, long-term detainees including refugees and stateless individuals were released into community living. However, after the ruling came into effect, four released individuals were charged with new offences. Concerned about community safety, the Federal Parliament subsequently passed new legislation for preventive detention, allowing authorities to enforce electronic monitoring anklets on released illegal immigrants, impose curfews, and set strict visa conditions.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Doukoshkan was not wearing an electronic monitoring anklet at the time of the crime. Additionally, in the two months leading up to the violent home invasion robbery, the Federal Government missed an opportunity to re-detain Doukoshkan.
On Wednesday, May 1st, Ninette spoke to Channel 9 for the first time since the attack, expressing her terror upon learning that an illegal immigrant had broken into their home. In the interview, Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles called to offer his condolences to the couple. Ninette told Giles that she felt extremely unsafe, saying, “Every time the doorbell rings, I get terrified. We should feel safe, but the government has let us down.” Giles apologized to her.
Ninette questioned Giles, asking why Doukoshkan was granted bail and why his electronic anklet was removed in March. Giles mentioned that he was seeking information from the Community Protection Board regarding the removal of Doukoshkan’s electronic anklet. The Board is a judicial system expert panel established by the Labor Party.
Ninette appreciated Giles’ candid response, saying, “This makes me feel much better.”
According to The Guardian, Doukoshkan was brought to court in February for violating curfew, but the Federal Government did not oppose his bail, and the charges against him were dropped due to an administrative error in visa issuance.
Doukoshkan wore an electronic ankle bracelet during the court hearing in February, but it was deemed unnecessary in March. Reportedly, just days before the home invasion robbery, Doukoshkan was bailed again by the Western Australian court on charges related to drug offenses.
In response to the incident, opposition leader Peter Dutton called for the dismissal of Minister Giles and Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, accusing them of failing to ensure the safety of Australians post the High Court ruling.
On Wednesday, O’Neil, in an interview on Channel 7’s “Sunrise” with host Natalie Barr, stated that she would not resign and expressed sincere sympathy to the victims.
O’Neil said, “If I had any power to send this person back to detention, I would do it.”
She added, “State courts make a series of rulings, usually involving State crimes. I won’t go into the specific details of this case, but as a Federal Minister, I cannot change the state court’s decision on bail.”
On Thursday, Immigration Minister Giles also refused to resign.
Giles mentioned his limited ability to comment as the case was before the courts, but stated that he had discussed the matter with the Western Australian Police Commissioner.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Albanese, in an interview with ABC Radio, expressed concern for Ninette Simmons but shifted responsibility for the release of the illegal immigrant suspect to the states. When asked if the decision by the Community Protection Board to remove Doukoshkan’s ankle monitor had let down the community’s expectations, Albanese declined to comment, stating, “The Community Protection Board is an independent board, and I am not in a position to comment on individual cases, especially those being dealt with by the court. The case has been referred to the court.”
Opposition Home Affairs spokesperson James Paterson called the incident a “wholly comprehensive failure.”
He questioned why the Federal Government had not applied for preventive detention in court. If the court deems these individuals (illegal immigrants) pose an unacceptable risk to society, they can be detained for up to three years.
He told Sky News, “The PM has shown an extraordinary level of tolerance towards the incompetence of his ministers; in any normal government, these ministers would have been sacked by now.”
According to The West Australian, on Thursday, State Premier Roger Cook urged the Federal Government to utilize all available resources to ensure social safety. He emphasized the need for a more “preventative” approach in tracing illegal immigrants if there are any concerns about community safety.
Cook stated that the management of illegal immigrants falls solely under the jurisdiction of the Federal Police and the Australian Border Force.
Currently, there are approximately 150 released illegal immigrants across Australia, including 7 murderers, 37 sex offenders, and 72 violent criminals. The Western Australian government revealed on Wednesday that out of 20 illegal immigrants released into the state community, only half are monitored by tracking technology, with three being reporting offenders.