Australian activists released from Israeli jail and deported to Jordan; Gaza ceasefire talks continue in Egypt
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash criticized the government’s decision Return wives and children of Islamic State fighters to Australia from Syria.
Last week it emerged that a group of six women and children had smuggled themselves out of Syria and returned to Australia, although Albanese denied earlier reports that a group would return home by the end of the year.
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“Mr Albanese told the Australian public that ISIS brides were not returning to Australia, and now we know they are, and instead of responding to the predictions yesterday the government remained silent. Now they are treating the Australian public like fools. These are women and the government who left Australia to join what is arguably considered one of the most disgraceful and barbaric terrorist organisations, murdering, raping and then murdering women, men and children.” It doesn’t provide even the most basic information to Australians. progress…
“How many ISIS brides have returned to Australia? What assessments did your government make before they returned to Australia? What monitoring conditions are in place on them? And more than that, what is your government doing to keep Australians safe? Australians want leadership, not excuses. They want answers, not silence. And this morning everyone must ask themselves what the Albanian government is hiding?” Cash demanded at Seven’s sunrise this morning.
Foreign Secretary Penny Wong, who represented Albanese at Senate estimates hearings yesterday, and officials from the prime minister’s department took repeated questions on the tip-off, including when government briefings on the matter were given and why Albanese dismissed initial reports, leading to accusations from Cash that the government was “covering up”.
The government maintains that it has not provided repatriation assistance to any returning citizens.
