Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton maintains his intervention in visa cases has always been in line with his ministerial powers.

Mr Dutton freed a French au pair from detention in 2015, after being lobbied by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan.

Yesterday he told Ray Hadley he “made a judgement based on the merit of the case”.

He tells Alan Jones “common sense should prevail”.

“I [made] a decision that I believe is in the best interest of our country. I do it every day with visas.

“The whole idea of ministerial intervention powers is that you can find a situation where it’s been brought to your attention as an anomaly and you can fix it.

“Naturally they would advise against that. That’s the whole reason for ministerial intervention because you believe the department has made a decision that is not right.”

There are reports he also assisted an Italian au pair, who was apparently planning to work for a former Queensland Police colleague.

It prompted Alan to ask Mr Dutton if someone is leaking stories designed to harm him.

“Well Alan, it’s a good question. I suspect all will be revealed at some stage.”

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