New footage shows the infant at the centre of a Doha Airport strip-search scandal. Photo / File
New footage shows the infant at the centre of a Doha Airport strip-search scandal. Photo / File
CCTV footage claiming to show the moment a baby found dumped in a bin at Doha Airport was rescued by paramedics has been released.
Doha News published the video on Wednesday after the Qatari government revealed the infant at the centre of a strip-search scandal was found in a plastic bag and "buried under garbage".
The footage shows three paramedics checking the newborn, which is cradled in one of their arms, before they are met by an airport staff member.
Eighteen women, including one New Zealander and 13 Australians, on a plane from Doha to Sydney were among female passengers from 10 planes subjected to an invasive, physical examination after the baby was found.
The Qatari government, in a statement this week, said it "regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveller caused by this action".
The NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) has confirmed that a New Zealand citizen "was involved in the appalling incident involving female passengers on several Qatar Airways flights".
"This action was completely unacceptable," an Mfat spokesperson said, adding that the ministry is "extremely concerned".
"We are making our views known to Qatari authorities and are seeking a full report on what occurred," the spokesperson added.
Numerous passengers were subjected to "invasive" physical examinations on October 2, after a premature baby was found alive in one of the airport bathrooms.
A search for the mother of the baby saw several female passengers forced to undergo invasive gynaecological exams without any kind of explanation.
The findings of an investigation into the matter are expected to be handed to the Australian government once complete.
The Australian Parliament's intelligence and security committee announced it had rejected an invitation to attend a formal dinner at the Qatari ambassador's residence on November 9.
"Due to the mistreatment of Australian women at Doha Airport, we decline this invitation," the committee said in a statement.
Scott Morrison condemned the incident as "appalling" and said Australians could be confident "those messages were conveyed clearly" to the Qatari government.
"I could only shudder at the thought that anyone would, Australian or otherwise, be subjected to that," the Prime Minister said on Wednesday.
But opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Senator Penny Wong has blasted the Morrison government's handling of the strip-search scandal.
"The minister has not spoked to the foreign minister in Qatar yet, and the minister had not spoken to the ambassador until after the story broke," Senator Wong told ABC RN on Thursday.
"They are not the actions of a government that is registering at the highest possible levels the strongest possible protest for the extraordinarily appalling treatment of our citizens.
"They deserve transparency, but they also deserve a government that's going to go in to bat for them."
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs secretary Frances Adamson defended her government's response to the incident during a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday.
She said Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne had engaged multiple times with the airline, airport and the ministry of foreign affairs.
"It was intensive engagement since the very first moment we knew about this," Adamson said.
