Mr McClelland said mistakes had been made from the highest level down to the investigating officers but the Government would not go "on a witchhunt".

At the end of the day, political leaders and agency heads must accept responsibility for errors that occurred on their watch," he said.

"But we have full confidence in all agency heads."

Mr McClelland said the Labor Government would leave it to the agencies themselves to decide whether any disciplinary action should be taken against a long list of people whose actions were grossly incompetent.

"We're not going to execute one to educate a thousand," Mr McClelland said.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/haneef-wants-apology/2008/12/23/1229794379643.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1