Media
|
Transcripts
April 27, 2026
Monday, 27 April 2026
Topics: More ISIS brides, Anzac day booing, Victorian Liberal party
E&OE…………………………………………………………………………………………
PETA CREDLIN: Let's go to the latest in the ISIS brides saga. ISIS women, I don't like to call them brides, four women, three from Melbourne, one from Sydney, nine children are all on their way. They're in Damascus at the moment, but they're on their way to Australia. The government insists they're not helping this latest cohort. Well, we've heard that before, haven't we? Joining me now to discuss this in more Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson. Senator, welcome. I do not like the government saying that they're not repatriating these women. Because the greatest gift someone in politics can give someone outside this country is an Australian passport to come here. And they've been given an Australian passport, where you and I both know the law. It could have been revoked, or it certainly could be cancelled. So why aren't we doing more to keep these women out?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Well, a very good question, Peta. I mean, my view is if you leave a prosperous, safe, harmonious liberal democracy to join an Islamist death cult and listed terrorist organisation, you've effectively repudiated your loyalty to Australia, and you don't deserve the assistance of the Australian government with a passport or any other document to re-enter your country in the future. And we know that the Albanese government has provided travel documents and passports to these people. Even though there is a power under the Passports Act, as you say, to cancel or refuse that passport. And under the former Coalition government, foreign ministers routinely refused and cancelled passports for ISIS fighters or suspected ISIS fighters, either who wanted to leave Australia to go and join ISIS or had joined ISIS and sought to come back to our country. That is in addition to other powers, including temporary exclusion orders, which allow you to lawfully keep someone offshore while they're investigated for possible terrorism offences. Now, only one of those has been used by the Albanese government, and as far as we know, none of the passports has been refused or cancelled, and so they have to explain why they are seeking to facilitate these people returning to our country.
PETA CREDLIN: I've seen images of these women, they're completely covered in black burqas. I mean, do you know their names? Has the opposition had a briefing as to the security work that's been done to vet them behind the scenes? Do we know if they're going to face sanctions or charges for war crimes, perhaps, or some sort of international law breach when they return to Australia? I mean, there's one thing to give them a passport, it's another thing to let them move into the suburbs. With ordinary Australians who are concerned now about their safety.
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: I've not been briefed on this cohort. It's possible my colleagues, including the new Shadow Home Affairs Minister, Jonno Duniam, have been briefed. But frankly, I have no confidence, given the way in which the Albanese government has sought to gaslight Australians about this, that they are on top of this problem and that they're seeking to protect Australians from this. I mean, we know the Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, secretly met with a charity that has sought to encourage these people to return to Australia. And in that meeting asked Home Affairs departmental officials to leave so he could have a private conversation with them. We also know that one of his closest and most important political supporters, Dr Jamal Rifi, has been an advocate for these people returning to Australia and is seeking to facilitate their return. So the Albanese government is hopelessly compromised when it comes to this issue. They cannot put the national interest first because they're much more worried, frankly, about their political interests.
PETA CREDLIN: And I'll make the point to Islamic State, the police in New South Wales, they will argue in court that they were behind the terror attack at Bondi, and we saw only just the other day evidence of an English newsletter put out by Islamic State to try and radicalise more people and get them to act as allegedly these men acted in Bondi to basically kill and slaughter anyone who doesn't adhere to radical Islam. I want to get a comment from you if I can, James, about the booing at Anzac Day services over the weekend. Your leader, Angus Taylor, has had this to say.
[CLIP START]
THE HON ANGUS TAYLOR MP: Booing, whatever the cause, on Anzac Day and at Anzac Day ceremonies is absolutely inappropriate and un-Australian. And it shouldn't happen. It simply shouldn't happen. I can understand the frustration Australians feel about the overuse of the welcome to country. I feel that at times, often actually. I think it is overused.
[CLIP END]
PETA CREDLIN: I made the point, James, that I wouldn't have done it, but I often stand at these things where I think that the welcomes are not relevant to the event and that they are divisive, particularly if the comments are divisive from the person making the welcome, it ain't a welcome. I boo on the inside. I think a lot of Australians had sympathy for those who took it upon themselves to speak up on the weekend. What can we do to wind these welcomes back? Because we never voted for them. They never went through the parliament. Australians didn't have any say. They're being forced down our throat. They are political rants 90% of the time now. This country belongs to every single one of us who wants to put in to make Australia the place it is and continue to stay the place that it is. How can we do more than just say, yeah, they're overdone, yeah, they're used too often? What can we do to change things, James?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: I thought you put it very well in your editorial, Peta. There are times where it has been appropriate, and there are times when it has been done well. I've been there when they've been inclusive and appropriate, and I've been there when they've been political and inappropriate, and they are overdone. And I think particularly overdone are non-Indigenous people doing acknowledgements of country. I've been on Zoom meetings where four or five different speakers each do an acknowledgement of country. I mean, it is just performative. It is not sincere, and it loses any special status that it might have otherwise had in the public mind, and I think Australians are fed up with it. They do think it's too much. I think the obligation is on organisers of these events. I don't want to have a country where we legislate where you can have these things, or you can't have these things. But organisers should use judgment. They should use judgment about when it's appropriate, and they should use judgment about who does it. And if someone has a track record of doing this in a political and inappropriate way that is exclusionary, that is judgmental, well then don't invite them back. Invite the people who understand the appropriateness and the way to do it in a way that's inclusive and upholding our unity and cohesion as a country.
PETA CREDLIN: Now it looks like the Victorian Liberals might be able to put their weapons to one side, the left faction and the right faction. It looks like there might be a president, a new president, his name is Brian Loughnane, elected unopposed in the upcoming meeting so the party can then focus on the November state election. I know he's a very reluctant starter. He was the federal director for 14 years, and I know that he's reluctant to do it because he's my husband of 23 years, but you've certainly got him over the line. Does this mean finally, you know, see later Phil Davis and all the sort of Moria Deeming fiasco and the loan and all of that stuff, put that to one side and actually focus, the Libs focus on taking the fight up to Labor? Is that where we're headed, James?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Well, Peta, I'm very grateful that Brian has been willing to serve in these circumstances, and the Victorian Division, frankly, is very lucky to have someone of his stature, of his standing, of his experience, of his expertise willing to step in in a critical year for our party and our state. And it's a reflection of the respect he is held in that he is uncontested. But it is also a reflection, as you say, Peta, that the warring tribes of the Victorian Division have been willing to put aside their differences to unite behind a stellar candidate and focus on the state election. And I think that shows we are very determined to win. And I'm grateful for members in facilitating what is a relatively unprecedented event in recent years in the Victoria Division of having an uncontested presidential applicant in Brian, and I'm delighted that we're going to have his services.
PETA CREDLIN: I might make it clear for my audience, he is an unpaid volunteer, but a full-time job between now and November. So you can have him for a while, but I'll be grateful to have him back. Thank you, James.
ENDS