Source : Perth Now news
The Coalition has doubled down on its backing for One Nation’s plan to “shut the door on dangerous foreign terrorist fighters” ahead of leader Pauline Hanson putting proposed laws to parliament.
The proposal, which Senator Hanson has touted as “court-proof”, aims to block Australians overseas with links to terrorist groups from returning to Australia.
Spurred by alarm over ISIS-linked Australians returning from the Middle East, the measures include barring citizens from getting passports, freezing automatic return permits and making it a federal crime to help unauthorised returns.
Senator Hanson is expected to introduce her Protecting Australians from Foreign Terrorist Fighters Bill in the Senate on Wednesday where Coalition support could get it to the Labor-dominated lower house.
Ahead of its introduction, opposition frontbencher James Paterson said “we’re happy to work with anyone who wants to protect Australia from the serious national security threat posed by these returning radicalised people”.
He also pushed back against the Albanese government’s claim that Senator Hanson’s proposal would not survive a constitutional challenge in the High Court.
“We’re not willing to just take (Home Affairs Minister) Tony Burke’s word for it, given the government has misled the parliament and got it wrong multiple times on the constitutionality of immigration Bills in the past,” Senator Paterson said.
“We think this should be tested in a parliamentary inquiry where experts can come and give evidence, and we can make a judgment on the merits of the Bill or otherwise after that.”
With Labor holding overwhelming control of the House of Representatives, the proposed legislation would ultimately fail without the Albanese government’s backing.
Asked if the Coalition’s support was only legitimising One Nation, Senator Paterson said he was “much more concerned about the national interest here and our national security”.
“If there’s anything that can be done to stop foreign fighters returning to Australia, we should do that,” he said.
