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Transcripts
October 4, 2025
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Good morning. The Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, must stand up today to answer questions from the media and for the Australian public about what the Albanese government knew, when they knew it, and what they did about the fact that up to six so-called ISIS brides and their children have returned to Australia. There are only two possibilities here. Either the Albanese government knew and failed to tell the Australian people, which shows contempt for the public, or they didn't know, and people who are associated with one of the most reprehensible terrorist organisations in history have returned to Australia without their knowledge. There's been briefing in the media today, by the government, that if it is in fact the case that these ISIS brides have returned to Australia, that they did so without any Australian government assistance. Let's be clear. That is a lie. The children of these so-called ISIS brides, because they were born overseas, had to apply to the Department of Home Affairs for Citizenship by descent. Once they obtained citizenship by descent, they had to apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for Australian passports. The Albanese government willingly facilitated the return of these people to Australia. My heart today goes out to the Assyrian Christians, Yazidis and other persecuted minorities who Australia settled over the last decade, who were victims of Islamic State. Right now, they are in fear that people who willingly travelled to support Islamic State have returned to our country without any restrictions. The Albanese government also needs to answer why it didn't use powers like temporary exclusion orders to prevent these people from returning. They need to explain where they are, where they will live, how they'll be monitored, and whether any of them can be charged under Australia's counter-terrorism framework. The Australian people deserve answers, and going into hiding and running for cover is not good enough.
Secondly, I just want to comment on the comments by the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, today, calling on the Albanese government to finally respond to her report to combat antisemitism in Australia. It has already been three months since she handed down her report and recommendations to the government, and it was already not good enough that the Albanese government has failed to respond, but particularly after the tragic events in Manchester and the United Kingdom, where Jews were slain by a would be terrorist while worshipping at a synagogue, it underscores how critical it is that the Albanese government finally pull their finger out and respond to this report.
Finally, there are reports that pro-Palestinian protesters are planning a protest at the Sydney Opera House on the 7th of October. That is a callous and sick thing to do. To commemorate the anniversary of the largest number of Jews who were killed on a single day since the end of the Holocaust, and it is even more insensitive following the Manchester attacks. It's critical that the New South Wales Government use every lawful means to make sure that this protest does not go ahead, and that the Albanese government strongly and publicly backs them in doing so.
Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Senator, your party colleague Andrew Hastie quit the frontbench yesterday. He and Ley have given contradicting accounts of his reason for resigning. Ley said it was because he wouldn't comply with solidarity conventions, but he said it was because he couldn't shape immigration policy, which of those two reasons is true. And as acting spokesperson, are you worried about your capacity to shape immigration policy?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Andrew Hastie is my very good friend, but I'm not his spokesman, and he will stand up shortly and speak on his own behalf. What I can say is I think he's done the honourable thing here. He said in his own statement that he's someone who upholds and believes in the Westminster conventions of government, as we all should. And because he was not able to abide by the conventions of a shadow member of the frontbench, he's decided to resign from the frontbench, in his own words, to give Sussan Ley the best opportunity possible to succeed as leader. And I respect his decision to do so. I think that shows integrity. I strongly support Sussan Ley's leadership, and I back her every step of the way.
JOURNALIST: Are you worried at all, though, that five months into her first term, you've had two prominent frontbenchers move on, because they couldn't offer solidarity to her leadership?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: I would certainly prefer that we still had both Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Price on the frontbench, and it is my hope that in due course, both of them can return to the frontbench. I think they are high-quality contributors to our cause, and I think we are better when we've got them on our team contributing. But they have made a decision to make that contribution for now from the backbench, and I respect their decision to do so.
JOURNALIST: Do you have any concerns about the unity of the Liberal Party going forward?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Well, I think it is critical that we demonstrate unity to the Australian people, particularly as we get closer to the next election. It is not surprising, after the largest defeat in the Liberal Party's history, in our 80 years of history, that there is a period of debate, and introspection and discussion about the future direction of the party. But that can't go on forever. That's something that is appropriate at the start of the term. But if we're still doing this in a year or two's time, as we get to the back end of the term, I think that will be to our political detriment. By that time we will have to demonstrate unity, and focus, and discipline, and be able to articulate a positive vision for the future and a compelling Liberal agenda for Australians to vote for.
JOURNALIST: How long is it going to take for the party to demonstrate that unity? They've been criticised recently for talking more about themselves than the Australian public. Has this resignation made that worse?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Look, I think the sooner the better that we can come together and resolve big questions about our policy positions, the better. But we do have to make sure we go through our processes. We have to make sure we have those debates. I think one of the reflections we've all had about the last parliamentary term is that there wasn't enough debate and contest about ideas, that we need to robustly contest policy before we settle on it. That is the process that Sussan and the team are leading us through, and I'm confident, in a timely way, we will settle that so that we can hold this government to account and present that alternative compelling agenda that inspires Australians to vote Liberal.
JOURNALIST: Has Hastie's decision to leave damaged Sussan Ley's leadership?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: No, that's not my assessment. My assessment is that Sussan has the strong and overwhelming support of the party room. Andrew himself made clear in his statement that he supports Sussan's leadership, and that this is not about leadership. This is about his deeply held, sincere convictions. And he's a person of integrity; he didn't want to stay on Sussan's frontbench if he wasn't able to support those positions. And he's choosing the freedom of the backbench, which every Liberal is entitled to do.
JOURNALIST: Andrew Hastie also made comments saying that Australians are becoming strangers in their own country due to unsustainable immigration levels. Do you agree with that?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Well, I think we need to have a debate about the pace of immigration into this country. I think under Labor's watch, in their first term, it has been out of control. More than a million people in their first term coming to Australia is higher than at any other time in our history. It's not sustainable and it is having an impact on infrastructure, housing, and services, and Australians are rightly concerned about that. It's important when we talk about that, though, that we do so in a measured and respectful way, and that we demonstrate our support for multicultural and migrant communities who have greatly enriched this country. And that is always what I seek to do.
JOURNALIST: Early this morning, David Littleproud said the resignation took courage from Hastie and said he respected it. Do you agree with that characterisation? Was it an act of courage?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: I do respect Andrew's decision. I think it is the right thing to do if you are someone like me who is institutionally conservative, who respects the traditions of our party and our parliamentary democracy. Which is that if you are on the frontbench, you are obliged to support the leader and to demonstrate Shadow Cabinet collegiality and solidarity. And if you can't do that, the honourable thing to do is to step down from the frontbench. And that's what Andrew has done. And I think that does show integrity.
JOURNALIST: Do you think the Liberal Party is still relevant to Australians?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Yes, I think we are. And I think we've demonstrated that by winning federal elections in this country as recently as six years ago, by winning state elections in Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory in just the last year. I think the Liberal Party, when we are united, when we are focussed, when we present that compelling alternative policy agenda, is capable of earning the trust and support of the Australian people. And I'm determined to do my part to make sure that we can do so again by the next election.
JOURNALIST: It does seem to be struggling, though, across Australia. Is there something specific you think the party needs to gain more support from Australians?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Well, we just won a quite significant election victory only a couple of months ago in Tasmania. It was not that long ago that we won a significant election victory in Queensland and the Northern Territory. And you don't have to be ancient to remember the last federal election victory, either. I don't think there's anything fundamentally flawed about our values, about our proposition to the Australian people. But we have to make sure that our policies are in line with our values, and that we convince the Australian public that we're ready to govern, and that if they vote for us, their lives will get better and our country will become stronger. And that is the burden that I and all my colleagues accept heading into the next election.
JOURNALIST: There's been a lot of positive comments from within your party about Hastie's and Price's resignations. Are you worried at all that this is encouraging agitators on policy within your party?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: No, I'm not worried about that. I think it is normal and healthy after the worst defeat in the Liberal Party's 80 years of history that we have a period of debate and introspection. And I participate in that debate, and backbenchers are particularly free to participate in that debate. But as I've said, I don't think it should, and can go on forever. There has to be a time limit to that debate, so that by the time we come closer to the next election, we have to resolve those internal debates and issues, and we're presenting a united front to the Australian people and a compelling alternative agenda for them to vote for.
Thanks, everyone.
ENDS