Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government continues to obfuscate on the return of the so-called ISIS brides. It claims the ISIS brides are not welcome yet fails to use existing tools under the temporary exclusion order regime to prevent their return. Section 10 of the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Act empowers the minister to issue a TEO if satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that it would substantially assist in preventing terrorism related activities, or if ASIO assesses the person as a direct or indirect risk to politically motivated violence.

Islamic State is a brutal terrorist regime responsible for unspeakable crimes against humanity. The ISIS brides' involvement with and support of Islamic State clearly makes them a potential threat, even if they haven't been directly engaged in terrorism. All ISIS brides travelled to the same declared area to support this brutal group. That is, in and of itself, a criminal offence. How can only one person be deemed to be worthy of a TEO? The minister has a very broad discretion, yet he has failed to act. If the government is serious about preventing their return, then why isn't it using the TEO regime to do so? Australians are rightly concerned about the return of the ISIS brides and deserve more decisive action from their government.

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