Cathy McGowan silent on scandal

CATHY McGowan is maintaining her silence on the people smuggling scandal, saying she is more concerned with how asylum seekers are being treated in detention.

The Border Mail yesterday asked Ms McGowan, an independent, if she would like to see a full investigation of both the Coalition and Labor over allegations of paying money to people smugglers to turn boats back and information respectively.

She said she would not comment further until she received official briefings and “it’s a bit clearer as to what’s gone on”.

“It’s become very political and there are political questions happening around it,” she said.

“It’s all hypothetical at the moment ... I’m not saying anything further until there’s something more than hypotheticals to work with.”

The Senate this week ordered the government to produce documents in relation to the allegations; the government refused to comply.

Ms McGowan said her main focus was how asylum seekers were being treated in detention.