Kieran Gilbert: Earlier in the day, I caught up with the Shadow Communications Minister, Sarah Henderson, who has just been returned to the Shadow Cabinet under Angus Taylor. I began by asking her about the Coalition’s aim in seeking to criminalise those trying to help the so-called ISIS brides.
Senator Henderson: Under Angus Taylor’s leadership, we have made it very clear our mission is to protect Australians’ way of life, and we won’t tolerate anyone linked with an ISIS death cult or any other terrorist organisation returning to this country and putting the community at risk.
That’s why we have announced that we will introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence for third parties – organisations or people – trying to assist those terrorist organisations, including ISIS brides, return to Australia. We have seen the Albanese government ducking and weaving, putting its hands in the air, pretending it knows nothing about this and yet we’ve got one organisation, Save the Children, actively assisting ISIS brides with the full knowledge and I would say, consent of the minister, Tony Burke. That is not good enough. Australians deserve much better and that’s why we will introduce this legislation.
Kieran Gilbert: And do you need to be very clear as to what assistance would trigger this legislation or trigger this penalty? For example, if someone made a phone call on behalf of an individual, would that trigger a penalty of this sort? Do you need to clarify that more clearly?
Senator Henderson: Well the details will be worked through but we, as I say, won’t tolerate people or organisations travelling to terrorist hotspots, including in Syria and facilitating the return of ISIS brides. We’ve made some humanitarian exceptions in the proposed legislation. But we have seen from this government, Kieran, a failure to keep our community safe by basically turning a blind eye to what is happening. That is simply not good enough and this government is just scrambling. It is not being honest with the Australian people. It is not being transparent and we want very clear prohibitions on anyone assisting, as I say, ISIS brides, or those linked to terrorist organisations coming back to this country and potentially threatening people in our community.
Kieran Gilbert: The move to legislate, is this also a sign that under the Taylor leadership that you’re going to be putting more detail, more meat on the bone, so to speak, when it comes to your positions, policy positions or when it comes to a case by case issue like this ISIS bride question, are you going to be more forward leaning when it comes to the parliament?
Senator Henderson: I think you’ve seen on this issue, Kieran, very strong leadership from Angus and the rest of the team. We are not going to compromise on community safety and on national security. We’ve made it very clear that we will do anything and everything to protect Australians’ way of life and that includes protecting the community from potential terrorist sympathisers returning to this country.
Kieran Gilbert: The Antisemitism Royal Commission starts tomorrow. What will you be examining, looking for and monitoring in the early stages to make sure that this does achieve what it needs to achieve in terms of combatting the scourge of antisemitism in the wake of the Bondi atrocity?
Senator Henderson: Well, Kieran, we are very pleased, of course, that the Royal Commission is going ahead. There were many weeks when the Prime Minister would not endorse a Royal Commission and he had to be dragged to this position, kicking and screaming. Let’s not forget that the horrific Bondi terrorist attack was underpinned by ISIS extremist ideology and so a very core part of the work of the Royal Commission is to ensure that extremist ideology, Islamist ideology is examined. And that anything and everything, again, we must do to keep the community safe. So the Royal Commission has got a very important mandate but tackling extremist religion, extremist Islamist ideology, is core business for the Royal Commission. And we hope and trust that it does its job and, of course, makes some very important recommendations to ensure this terrible atrocity never happens again.
Kieran Gilbert: In your communications responsibilities as the Shadow Minister, is there anything specifically that you’ll be looking for when it comes to the role of the media, public debate, public discourse, is there anything that you want to see addressed?
Senator Henderson: Well, I think we’ve seen some very disturbing online communications which have facilitated antisemitism, which have facilitated hate. And I hope and trust that all communications or conduct which drives hate in our community, which does not keep us safe, is addressed including the very important responsibility to keep Australians safe online.
Kieran Gilbert: Shadow Communications and Digital Safety Minister, thanks for joining us. Sarah Henderson, appreciate it.
Senator Henderson: Thanks so much, Kieran. Great to join you.