Prime Minister Tony Abbott has delivered a blunt warning to Australians thinking of fighting for extremist groups in the Middle East, saying they will be arrested and jailed on their return.
With the backing of an opinion poll that suggests voters overwhelmingly support a proposed crackdown on foreign fighters, Mr Abbott walked a fine line between tough talk about a home-grown terrorist threat and placating concerns of the Muslim community.
He reassured coalition MPs the government did not intend to demonise Muslim Australians.
But he did warn them there was a need to stand up to preachers of hate and violence.
The government is drafting new laws aimed at addressing concerns about the number of Australians fighting and providing support for the extremist Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
While critics claimed their number - said to be about 150 - was not great it would only take one person to engage in a violent terrorist attack, Mr Abbott told a meeting of Liberal and Nationals MPs and senators in Canberra on Tuesday.
Later, in parliament, he directed a message to anyone thinking of joining the fight.
"Don't go, because if you do, if you return you will be arrested and you will be jailed."
Attorney-General George Brandis reinforced the message, telling parliament it was not an exaggeration to say the risk of radicalised foreign fighters returning to Australia posed the greatest national security threat in many years.
He indicated a second tranche of legislation, extending counter-terrorism laws, will be introduced shortly.
Labor is refusing to say whether it will support the tougher measures, saying the opposition would not provide a blank cheque without first seeing the legislation.
Its biggest concern is the reverse onus of proof provision for anyone suspected of travelling to a conflict zone overseas.
It will be up to individuals to prove they have been engaged in a legitimate activity.
"The government, as yet ... has not explained how it's going to be applied," shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus told reporters in Canberra.
Labor also took a swipe at Mr Abbott's announcement that $64 million will be spent on measures to stop young Australians from being radicalised and heading overseas.
Funding will be provided for community engagement programs and to establish a new Australian Federal Police community diversion and monitoring team to target returning foreign fighters and their supporters.
About half will go towards a "multi-agency national disruption group".
Mr Dreyfus described the announcement as a backflip because the funding had been taken out of the May budget.
A Newspoll on Tuesday said 77 per cent of voters would support new laws that require people to prove they had a valid reason for travelling to particular countries.
More women (79 per cent) than men (74 per cent) back the proposed new laws.
Among people over 50, 86 per cent favour tougher action, compared with 70 per cent of those under 50.
Share
