Senate debates
Thursday, 4 September 2025
Motions
National Security
10:29 am
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to move a motion relating to national security policy as circulated.
Leave not granted.
Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name, I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to a national security policy.
That is a grave matter of urgent public concern. Labor's move to secretly repatriate people who joined with the Islamic State has sparked widespread concern among Australians. This raises serious issues which the Senate should immediately debate: issues of transparency, of a government cover-up, of national security, of border integrity and of the risk to Australia's community. We must debate it now because we have a prime minister refusing to answer questions about it, and we have a Labor government even saying they're not actually responsible for it. How could these people even have a chance of returning here if the government wasn't permitting them to and wasn't facilitating it?
It is our job to debate these issues and ensure the government keeps our community safe. We must never forget the savagery of the Islamic State terrorist group. They burned innocent people alive. They took innocent girls as sex slaves after killing their families. They recruited evil people from around the world to join them. They ordered or inspired deadly terrorism right here in Australia. In September 2016 they deliberately told their followers in Australia: 'Kill them on the streets in Brunswick, Broadmeadows, Bankstown and Bondi. Kill them at the MCG, the SCG, the opera house and even in their backyards.'
Some people in Australia responded with enthusiastic depravity. Islamic State inspired an 18-year-old man to stab two Victorian police officers at Endeavour Hills in 2014. They inspired the siege of the Lindt Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place, in which two innocent people died. Islamic State praised the actions of the hostage taker, calling him a righteous jihadist. They inspired an Iranian born youth to murder Curtis Cheng in Parramatta in October 2015. They inspired two teenage boys to murder a service station worker in Queanbeyan in April 2017 and injure three other innocent people. They inspired a Somali born man to murder a receptionist in Brighton in Melbourne in June 2017. They inspired a Bangladeshi woman to stab a man in his sleep at his home in Mill Park, Victoria, in 2018. Australian authorities prevented others radicalised by Islamic State from carrying out many more attacks and plots.
Perhaps what horrified Australians even more was that some people living here heeded the call of Islamic State to join their so-called caliphate. We cannot forget that photograph of one of them in the wastes of Iraq, posing with a big grin and his young son holding a severed head. The very idea that anyone from Australia who joined in this lunacy should be allowed to come back is just as depraved as Islamic State was, yet it's already happened. The coalition let it happen first, in 2019, repatriating the family of that same terrorist who was grinning with his son and a severed head. Labor repeated this shame in October 2022. And now Labor is doing it again, cloaking the move in secrecy because what it is doing is shameful, reckless and directly risking the safety of Australians in their own country. What these Labor and coalition governments have done is say that people can join a savage terrorist group, commit the most depraved acts of murder and then be forgiven, brought home and reintegrated into Australian society. They'll be allowed to have more children and radicalise them.
Here's a message a Hamas terrorist, a local imam, gave at a pro-Palestinian rally last year: 'I ask you to continue all the actions that you started one year ago, and do not stop until we see the crumbling of Zionism and the end of the Israeli forces.' How can anyone possibly believe that people exposed to the savagery of Islamic State do not pose a risk in Australia? Where are our guarantees? These enemies will be monitored, surveilled and restricted to ensure that risk is minimised.
These people should not be released into our suburbs and our towns. They should have been left where they are, in the place they chose to go to join Islamic State. If they must be brought here—and I totally oppose any of them coming into this country—then they must be put in prison and never allowed to know freedom again. For those of you in this chamber unfamiliar with the concept, these are known as consequences.
Honourable senators interjecting—
Isn't it quite interesting to hear how people on the other side relate to this. The Greens are so un-Australian. They do not support this.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Hanson, please resume your seat. Senator Hanson-Young?
Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'd like Senator Hanson to withdraw. I'd also like Senator Hanson to condemn the cop killers that their party continues to support.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
That latter part is not a point of order; it's a debating point, which you can bring up at another time.
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I have a point of order. I want Senator Hanson-Young to retract that comment. We have never, ever supported cop killers. I want that retracted.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'm going to ask you both to withdraw, for consistency.
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
No. What have I got to withdraw?
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
A senator has risen and said they've taken offence to something that has been said. It's been accepted practice in recent times that if a senator is asked to withdraw, for the comity of the Senate, we just do that. It would be very simple for you to do that, please.
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I withdraw.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you. Please continue.
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'm calling on openness and transparency. The people have a right to know what is going to happen with these people when the government brings them back into the country. They should not be allowed, and the majority of Australians don't want them back here.
10:36 am
Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The coalition will be supporting the suspension motion moved by Senator Hanson on behalf of One Nation. When you look at the suspension motion, to debate the motion Senator Hanson has moved, it raises some very, very serious issues, particularly in relation to the transparency of the Albanese government. Several questions were posed yesterday both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate concerning media reports that a cohort of persons who had left Australia to join ISIS, the Islamic State fighters, were coming back to Australia. That is concerning within itself, given they left some time ago and, not only that but in particular, given these are people who made a conscious decision—this is a fact—to wilfully abandon Australia to join the ISIS death cult. Let's be clear about what the ISIS death cult were: they were a group of people who committed genocide against Shias, against Christians and against the Yazidi communities. They murdered a large number of civilians. They used rape as a weapon of war against women and girls.
The government yesterday, in both this place—Senator Wong, on behalf of the Prime Minister—and the House of Representatives—the Prime Minister himself—said there was nothing to see here. Yet, overnight, we now have reports that the acting chief of New South Wales police says that the state force is working with federal counterparts to finalise operations relating to the return of Islamic State brides and their children to Australia. So hold on—yesterday, in both the other place and in this place, there was nothing to see here in relation to what are incredibly concerning reports, but then, overnight, the acting chief of New South Wales police confirms, 'Yes, our state police force are working with our federal counterparts to finalise operations'—not to commence operations, not to consider operations but to finalise operations—'relating to the return of Islamic State brides and their children to Australia.' They have said they are working through the plan with the Commonwealth. So there are now serious questions to be answered by this government in relation to their knowledge of this matter and, more than that, what they are doing to ensure the national security of Australians.
Let us be clear. The return of people who made a conscious decision to leave the greatest country in the world—it is ironic, isn't it? Or maybe it's symbolic that yesterday was National Flag Day, and we were discussing this issue. There are people who are prepared to leave this country—which gives them everything, all the freedoms—to go back to a state and join a death cult that murders people, uses rape as a weapon of war and commits genocide.
Let us be very clear. This is not a question of compassion. The coalition sees this for exactly what every single Australian sees it as. This is a matter of national security. It doesn't matter what weasel words this government uses. These people have now been gone for a very long period of time. They are radicalised. They left Australia, quite frankly, because they do not like what we have here—the freedoms that each one of us stands up for and defends each day.
The government cannot guarantee that these individuals will not pose a threat to our way of life which, let's face it, they turned their backs on and which they hate. It's not about if they return now. This is where the government has got a lot of questions to answer. It is when. These people were exposed to radical ideologies. They lived in the heart of a terrorist caliphate. Now we are asked to believe that they can simply walk back into Australia: 'Hey, how are you going? Great to see you. Sorry I murdered a few women and children overseas. Sorry I used rape as an act of war.'
Senator Hanson, we will be supporting the suspension because the government has serious national security questions to answer.
10:41 am
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The government will not be supporting the suspension. I would like to say that the situation in Syria is becoming increasingly unstable. Our security agencies have been monitoring and continue to monitor the situation to ensure they are prepared for any Australian from this cohort returning home.
Let me be clear. The Australian government is not providing assistance and is not repatriating individuals in Syrian IDP camps. The reporting is incorrect. That has been made clear in the Senate and in the House. It's nothing less than irresponsible to take that reporting on national security issues as fact when the reporting has been clearly rejected. The motion that the senator seeks to move refers to an operation that does not exist.
All Australians have a right to feel safe in their country, which is why our intelligence and security agencies are constantly monitoring any threats to our national security. Our agencies are aware of who the persons of interest are in this cohort. If any of those people find their own way to return, our agencies are satisfied that they are prepared and will be able to act in the interests of community safety. There is no higher priority for the Albanese government than keeping Australians safe. I move:
That the question be now put.
Question agreed to.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The question is that the suspension of standing orders, as moved by Senator Hanson, be agreed to.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
On a point of order. Thorpe may wish to withdraw the interjection she just made.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I didn't actually hear it because I was speaking at the time. Senator Thorpe, I invite you to please withdraw.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I thought we were talking about terrorism. We have racist Nazis terrorising people in this country.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Thorpe, that is unparliamentary. I've asked you to withdraw.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'm unparliamentary; you know that.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
If I need to get the President, I will.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We know we have a problem with Nazis in this chamber.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Thorpe, you don't have the call. I'm going to ask you one more time to please withdraw.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Hanson, is this on a different point of order, because I've already ruled.
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It is. Because of the distraction and the comments that were made up here, I was distracted with the vote. I'd ask the vote to be resubmitted again, please.
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
That's a fair request.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The question is that the motion moved by Senator Hanson to suspend be agreed to.