Nationals senator Matt Canavan has criticised the government’s position on the return of Australian IS brides and their children from Syria, labelling it “inconsistent” and “deceptive”.
The government has maintained it would not be offering any assistance repatriating the 34 brides and their children – though they are Australian citizens – but if they were able to make their own way back to Australia, they would be allowed back in.
Canavan did not support their return whatsoever.
“If the government can be believed and what they’re saying is true that they have no involvement with these so-called ISIS brides, then surely these people should not be allowed back into our country because they have at least in part, been involved with a shockingly horrific terrorist organisation and without any knowledge of who they are and what activities they’ve been involved in, we should not just open the door and allow them to come back,” he told Sky this morning.
“The government has been a little bit more involved than it’s let on,” Canavan said, possibly referring to the revelation last year that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke had held meetings with advocates from Save the Children lobbying to repatriate the brides.
“And I think it’s about time the Labor Party comes clean with the Australian people about exactly what they’re involved in here.”
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