Jay Weatherill followed Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews\u2019 lead<\/a> over the weekend and sent a letter to PM Malcolm Turnbull calling for 267 asylum seekers, including 37 children, to remain in Australia after they were transferred from Nauru for medical treatment.<\/p>\n “I ask that you allow these children and their families to call South Australia home,” Mr Weatherill wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n But Immigration Minister Peter Dutton slammed Mr Weatherill, calling the premier\u2019s comments \u201cinsincere\u201d.<\/p>\n He said the federal Labor party had setup regional processing, and Mr Weatherill\u2019s comments indicated a \u201cbig divide\u201d in Labor.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Mr Weatherill wants to make a difference \u2013 if he truly believes the policy should be changed \u2013 then he should be speaking to Bill Shorten,\u201d Mr Dutton said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government wants to have a compassionate approach to this, but we don\u2019t want to see the boats restart, we don\u2019t want to see people self harming.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that it\u2019s been turned into some sort of political opportunity by Mr Weatherill, particularly when it\u2019s so insincere that he hadn\u2019t even contacted Bill Shorten, I just don\u2019t think people will see that as a legitimate position.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Immigration](\"https:\/\/cms.fiveaa.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/peter_dutton.jpg\" "\\"Immigration")
<\/p>\nImmigration Minister Peter Dutton says Jay Weatherill is “insincere” | Image | The New Daily<\/a><\/h6>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think anybody wants to see politics played with this issue. I think Jay Weatherill\u2019s seen a political opportunity and I think it\u2019s regrettable,\u201d Mr Dutton told David and Will on FIVEAA breakfast.<\/h3>\n
LISTEN to Peter Dutton here:<\/h3>\n