Peter vs Paul: Au pairs vs Sheik Hilali ; ministerial intervention in immigration matters compared.
by Ganesh Sahathevan Sheik Hilali First, Paul Keating's history of intervention in immigration matters: Keating defends letting sheik stay By RICHARD KERBAJ THEAUSTRALIAN 11:00PM MARCH 9, 2007 FORMER prime minister Paul Keating has defended for the first time his decision to give controversial Islamic imam Taj Din al-Hilali permanent residency, saying it was in response to lobbying by the cleric's supporters. Sheik Hilali was given residency in 1990 following attempts by then Hawke Labor government immigration minister Chris Hurford to have the Egyptian-born cleric deported in 1986. Mr Keating told The Weekend Australian he and then Labor backbencher Leo McLeay pushed for residency for Sheik Hilali following demands from his supporters. "Leo McLeay and I responded to parish interests and requests from a community that attended the Lakemba Mosque to try and keep their (cleric) in Australia," he said. READ NEXT Left cries wolf on democracy JANET ALBRECHTSEN "The