Kenny: To the newly reinstalled frontbencher, the Communications Shadow Minister Sarah Henderson joins us from Geelong. Congratulations, Sarah, it’s a portfolio you’ve held before. I bet you’re really keen to get back into it?
Henderson: Well I’m absolutely delighted and of course, led by Angus and Jane, we are determined to hold Labor to account. This is a team that will hold Labor to account every single day and also prosecute the policies that we need to take up to the election.
Kenny: I want to come back to your portfolio in a moment but first up the reshuffle in general, it looks to be fairly conciliatory. I see some prominent moderates getting promotions or holding their senior roles. Tim Wilson obviously seen as a moderate, straight into Shadow Treasurer. That’s a big job for him.
Henderson: Well, Tim has been a force to be reckoned with in terms of prosecuting the issues that we know we need to prosecute. Labor has so failed Australians in terms of its mismanagement of the economy. Its reckless spending is driving up the cost of everything, as we know, Chris, and Tim will do an amazing job as Shadow Treasurer, along with the rest of the economic team, of course, Jane and Claire, led by Angus. So it’s a very strong team but Angus has made a very important point to all of us. We are all leaders in the Liberal and Nationals team and we are all going to play a very important role in holding this government to account and taking it right up to them and fighting for the Australian people.
Kenny: Now Jonno Duniam gets the crucial portfolio of Home Affairs and Immigration. It’s in the news today with Labor essentially saying they can’t block the return of ISIS brides. Both Angus Taylor, Jonno Duniam and yourself earlier has said that Australia should block the return of these ISIS brides. How can Australia actually block them if they’re Australian citizens?
Henderson: One of the opportunities for the government is to impose Temporary Exclusion Orders. I mean, let’s not forget, Chris, these are women who’ve gone to Syria to support terrorist fighters. It’s horrific to consider what these women have been involved with. We have no confidence that they can come back into Australia and not pose a very serious community safety risk. So the government should be doing a whole range of things including imposing Temporary Exclusion Orders.
We need to know, every single Australian deserves to know, that they will be safe. And frankly, the government has just wiped their hands off this. They say, you know, we’re not doing anything. We’re not helping to repatriate when Tony Burke, of course – and we’ve found that evidence of them having a secret meeting with Save the Children, seemingly to assist them through the back door. It is simply not good enough.
And in Senate estimates last week, I prosecuted the case. We need transparency. Australians deserve to know what is going on. Penny Wong last week denied any knowledge about this cohort other than she made some very general observations. And of course within days, we see 11 families seeking to come back to Australia, that is simply not good enough. These are women who supported ISIS ideology and let’s not forget, Chris, it is extremist ISIS ideology which underpinned the Bondi terrorist attack. There has never been a more important time for this government to take our community safety seriously and to stop these families coming back to Australia.
Kenny: That is the allegation put out there by police yet to be tested in court. I just should quickly add now, discussing these issues on this station last night with my colleague Sharri Markson, Pauline Hanson, had this to say.
Pauline Hanson: I’ve got no time for the radical Islam. Their religion concerns me because what it says in the Quran they hate Westerners and that’s what it’s all about. You know, you say, ‘Oh, well, there’s good Muslims out there.’ Well, I’m sorry. How can you know, tell me there are good Muslims.”
Kenny: Your response to those comments Sarah Henderson and their impact on the national debate?
Henderson: Well, our concern is not about targeting any race or any religion. Our concern is about targeting extremist ideology. People who come to this country who want to do us harm, people who are here in this country and want to do us harm, people who have hate in their hearts. And Angus has made it very clear, we are going to shut the door to anyone who seeks to harm our country. Simple as that.
Kenny: Sarah, I haven’t got time to get back into the ABC with you. We’ll try and catch up again next week. We’ve run right out of time. I appreciate it. Sarah Henderson there, who’s now the Shadow Minister for Communications.