Angus Taylor calls ‘bulls**t’ on Anthony Albanese over ISIS brides saga

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has accused Anthony Albanese of lying to the Australian public about ISIS brides’ attempts to flee to Australia, saying the Federal Government is assisting their escape from a Syrian camp.

Although Mr Albanese and his lieutenants have repeatedly claimed they are not providing repatriation, the Federal Opposition says the government has “spent years” preparing for the group of 11 families, five so-called ISIS brides and seven children, widely speculated to now be on their way back to Australia.

“I’m calling bullshit on the Prime Minister,” Mr Taylor on Saturday told The Daily Telegraph.

“He is not telling Australians the truth about the role that the government is playing here … it is clear that this government has spent several years preparing the way to bring these people back.

“It’s clear (Home Affairs Minister) Tony Burke has been up to his eyeballs in assisting the repatriation here. We’re going to continue to forensically look for the facts that Australians deserve to know.”

The Australian women, who left Australia to join their ISIS husbands, now find themselves and their children in a Syrian camp.

Mr Albanese continues to talk tough on the ISIS brides.

“We’ve said that we have compassion for the children involved, but that others who chose to travel to that area have made those decisions in life,” Mr Albanese said this week.

And federal Health Minister Mark Butler said of the ISIS bride saga on Sunrise that, “We are not going to provide taxpayer resources to help these women back to Australia”.

“They took the decision, along with their husbands, their partners at the time, to leave this country and to travel to Syria and Iraq and support one of the most awful death cults we’ve seen in decades.”

Although the Federal Government says it is not actively involved in bringing the women home, it has emerged they have been issued with passports and travel documents.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says as Australians, they cannot be denied a passport.

But in one case, Mr Burke has moved to ban an ISIS bride from entering Australia for two years.

Federal shadow minister for home affairs Jonno Duniam said on Saturday “there were suggestions” the ISIS brides were again attempting to leave Syria, after a previous unsuccessful attempt to leave the camp.

On Saturday, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman re-iterated the PM’s comments and his colleagues that the Government was not helping ISIS brides return to Australia.

“I want to assure all Australians that we are not assisting any of those who are seeking to leave those camps,” Mr Gorman said.

“There is no Australian government assistance being provided.”

Mr Gorman said any ISIS brides who did manage to land in Australia could expect to be hit with criminal offences.

“If you have done criminal acts overseas and you seek to come to Australia, you will be prosecuted,” he said.