Albanese dismisses Coalition’s proposal to criminalise assistance to so-called ISIS brides

Anthony Albanese has dismissed a Coalition proposal to make assisting so-called ISIS brides a criminal offence while continuing to point the finger of blame at the past, again taking aim at Scott Morrison for letting fighters return.

Amid questions over whether the terrorist-linked families would be allowed into Australia and what assistance Australia has provided, the Opposition is seeking to ban those aiding their journey.

New Opposition leader Angus Taylor declared the hardline approach to “shut the door” on the 34 stranded Australian women and children was about “protecting Australians’ way of life”.

Speaking in Brisbane on Monday, Mr Taylor said “Australians are sitting at home gobsmacked” by the potential that the ISIS-linked women could return home after supporting fighters in Syria.

“Labor’s activity has been shrouded in secrecy. Labor needs to be upfront with the Australian people about what is going on here,” he said.

“Labor has done everything except drive these people to the airport to support them returning to Australia. Labor is failing to prevent the return of terrorist sympathisers to Australia.”

However, the Prime Minister on Monday criticised the Coalition’s plan.

“They don’t have serious plans. If they did, they wouldn’t have allowed more than 40 people, including fighters, on their watch when they were in government,” he said.

He said the government has received the same advice as the Coalition regarding any new legislation to keep the cohort out of Australia.

“We, of course, have advice, but it’s the same advice that frankly the Coalition got. Which is why the laws that are in place are the laws that were put there by the Coalition.

“They pretend that the Constitution doesn’t exist.

“They know there are limits to what can be done. But I repeat, our position is we are not repatriating people, and we’re not providing assistance.”

Speaking on Sky News on Monday, deputy Opposition leader Jane Hume couldn’t answer what the proposal would mean for humanitarian organisations helping families in the region.

Mr Taylor, however, confirmed that there would be exemptions for humanitarian or security-based repatriation.

Save the Children criticised the Coalition’s proposal on Monday, adding in a statement that it hadn’t conducted extraction or repatriation operations.

“While we have yet to see the details of this proposal, any attempt to criminalise advocacy for Australian children stranded overseas would be extraordinary,” chief executive Mat Tinkler said.

“Instead of investing effort in ways to stop help for innocent Australian children, politicians should be focused on finding ways to protect them.

“Save the Children has already made it clear that we are not facilitating the re-entry of Australian citizens from northeastern Syria.

“We have not, and will not, conduct extraction or repatriation operations.

“We believe all children are innocent and should not be held responsible for their parents’ actions.”

Shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam spoke alongside Mr Taylor in Brisbane and said that the Coalition would introduce the proposed legislation in the next Parliament sitting block.

“We will introduce that legislation into the parliament and it’ll go through its usual process,” Senator Duniam said.

“That’ll be the test for the government to see whether they’re serious about not wanting these people to come back to Australia and doing everything they can to protect our country.”