The country's top lawmaker made the comments following the high-profile reunion of former NSW deputy fire chief Ken Thompson and his six-year-old son Andrew in Amsterdam overnight.
Mr Thompson hadn't seen his son since April 2008 when the boy was taken overseas by his mother Melinda Stratton.
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Mr McClelland on Tuesday said the government was examining the possibility of criminalising international child abduction.
"The issue is unquestionably one of great concern and obviously distressing," the attorney-general told ABC TV.
"Considering a range of options, including perhaps fines and defences in circumstances where someone does co-operate, is certainly on the agenda of the government to examine."
But Mr McClelland said there were risks associated with introducing a new criminal offence.
He noted that last year 88 children were taken from Australia and 47 were returned.
"Usually, those returns occur as a result of mediation through international agencies," Mr McClelland said.
"The concern is that criminalising the conduct may actually prevent the mediators and arbitrators being able to do their work, in other words, people not coming forward to try and address the underlying issues."
Mr Thompson this week said he's never wanted his wife to go to jail and that he'd "done everything I can to prevent this getting to where it is now".
"Throughout this whole ordeal I have never said: `I hate my wife'."
