Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Liberal senator Jane Hume have had their breakfast television appearance cut short as the pair argued about who was to blame for a tribunal decision this week that allowed a convicted kidnapper who worked with gangland boss Tony Mokbel to remain in Australia.

On Monday, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruled that Maltese-born Kevin Farrugia should have his visa restored, overturning a department decision to confirm the mandatory cancellation of his visa because of his crimes. Farrugia came to Australia at the age of 17 months.

The Coalition cited the case to pile more pressure on Immigration Minister Andrew Giles over dozens of tribunal decisions to let convicted criminals stay in Australia, blaming him for being too lenient under a rule known as ministerial direction 99.

This morning, Hume reiterated this argument when appearing on Sunrise, calling the home affairs minister “shameless” for arguing Opposition Leader Peter Dutton could have acted when he was home affairs minister in the previous government and cancelled the man’s visa in 2019, when Farrugia made headlines for gun crimes and his ties to Mokbel.

“I think this case actually goes right to the heart of the intense hypocrisy that we are seeing in [the] debate about detainees,” O’Neil said, claiming Dutton released 1300 convicted criminals from immigration detention while in government.

“Clare, you are shameless,” Hume responded, interrupting the minister.

Host Natalie Barr then asked Hume why the Coalition didn’t cancel Farrugia’s visa when they had the chance.

“Nat, this government is looking for any excuse, pointing to anyone else,” Hume said, later claiming Labor’s Direction 99 caused this week’s tribunal decision.

“A criminal is walking our streets because of Direction 99. That I do not understand. I do not understand,” Hume said.

“But I do know that Peter Dutton as immigration minister cancelled 6500 visas. That is more than any minister since federation and yet somehow, Minister Giles, the most incompetent minister in the government and his senior minister – Minister O’Neil – is somehow blaming the victim, blaming the court, blaming the state, blaming Mr Dutton.”

O’Neil then interrupted and accused Hume of hypocrisy, before Barr, the Sunrise host, said: “You know what? Noone likes the arguing. I think we will leave it there. See you next week.”