This morning on Today, a lively debate unfolded between Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie and Independent Senator David Pocock over a contentious issue.
McKenzie expressed grave concerns regarding the group of women, asserting that the children involved had already been “radicalized.”
“I am questioning why the government hasn’t revoked their travel documents on the grounds of national security,” she remarked.
She emphasized the need for clarity on how this group would be supervised and where they would reside upon their return.
Meanwhile, Pocock emphasized that the women are Australian citizens, yet acknowledged that the public expects “the full force of the law” to be applied in this case.
“It’s crucial to differentiate between adults who made their own decisions and children who had no choice in traveling abroad,” he noted.
“Australian children deserve a second chance.”He said it was preferable that the group be in Australia where they could face legal repercussions and de-radicalisation programs, but McKenzie claimed the programs had a low success rate.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, these kids have been radicalised already,” she said.
