Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, is demanding urgent transparency and action from the Allan Labor Government following reports that the majority of returning ISIS brides could be settled in Victoria.
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals believe any adult who has left Australia to align themselves with a barbaric terrorist organisation should not be welcomed back into our state.
Recent reports have sparked significant community concern regarding the safety and social cohesion of Victorian suburbs.
Premier Jacinta Allan must immediately explain what measures are being taken to protect the community and what specific safeguards and supports are in place to manage any children from this cohort that may arrive in Victoria.
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals are calling on the State Government to prioritise the safety of Victoria’s diverse multicultural communities over those who chose to join a terrorist cause.
Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, said: “Victorians will be rightfully concerned by the prospect of ISIS brides settling in Victoria and deserve straight answers.
“The Premier must pick up the phone to the Commonwealth Government and make clear that Victorians do not want ISIS brides to be settled here.”
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs, Evan Mulholland, said: “The State and Federal Governments need to ensure the safety of our multicultural communities who suffered at the hands of ISIS.
“Victoria has proudly welcomed Assyrian, Chaldean, Yazidi, Alawite, Shia Muslim, and Druze communities. It is our first duty to protect them and make them feel safe. Victorians want nothing to do with ISIS, or anyone who would willingly join their cause.
“Our social cohesion has never been at a lower ebb and allowing ISIS brides to settle in Victoria is an unacceptable risk to our community safety.”
The question is what can actually be done to stop the ISIS brides from coming to and settling in Victoria?
The only thing that can stop them is to refuse them passports based on their alleged past actions (crimes). It is debatable if it is legally possible. Neither the AFP nor the federal leadership seem to be prepared to go there if the stories (of Albo and Burke having been working behind the scenes for more than six months) which have come out are true. At best the Prime Minister and his Ministers seem to be shirking the issue.
ABC and some others on the Left have been presenting the view that most of the ISIS brides have been victims of grooming and were tricked into going there and marrying the ISIS fighters to bear their children.
ABC’s revelations through Krystle Rosse-Emile, sister of one bride Kirsty Rosse-Emile, made those claims appealing passionately to the Australian government for support to bring her back in Australia.
Krystle Rosse-Emile, has spoken publicly for the first time, telling the ABC about how Kirsty was “influenced” by a much older man to eventually join Islamic State.
“I believe that my sister was naive, you know … not brainwashed, but manipulated,” Krystle said.
But now Sydney’s 2GB radio station has announced on their Instagram account that Kirsty Rossed-Emile is lying.
“The father of one of the ISIS brides has issued a warning.
He says claims she was tricked into moving to Syria are “not true”.
It is becoming hard who to believe and the community concerns are valid.
What is required is a clear and firm position by our government sending a clear message to any future sympathizers of the terrorist state that Victoria will not be their home. Unfortunately, the state government’s response to questions on this issue has been abysmal. The state government has dodged the issue in the same way as it did to answer the demand for a Royal Commission into the $15 Billion corruption allegations. Unsurprisingly, its position did not change with the revelations of its allegedly ‘pre-determined’ way of referring the allegations to IBAC.
Clearly for the government, there is no respect for truth.
What about the state Opposition?
What steps will the government led by the Liberals take to stop them from being settled in Victoria if the arrival (of ISIS brides) is delayed until after November 2026 state election?
We put the question to the Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Evan Mulholland. Emphatically clarifying the position of the Liberals, Shadow Minister Mulholland told Bharat Times:
“Any adult who has left Australia to align themselves with a terrorist organisation should not be welcomed back.”
“A Wilson Liberal and Nationals Government will make it clear to the federal Labor Government that Victorians do not want ISIS brides to be settled here.”
In this age of extreme political spin doctoring, at least on this issue, the choice for Victorians is clear – the Coalition if you have concerns about ISIS brides being settled in Victoria.