MEDIA RELEASE – Government Must Act To Keep Terrorist Behind Bars

Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash

Shadow Attorney-General

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

Senator for Western Australia

MEDIA RELEASE

1 NOVEMBER 2023

GOVERNMENT MUST ACT TO KEEP TERRORIST BEHIND BARS

The Albanese Government must act urgently to ensure convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika is kept behind bars.

Shadow Attorney-General Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash called on the Government to take all steps necessary to keep Australians safe.

“The Albanese Government must urgently introduce legislation that will allow the citizenship of convicted terrorists to be cancelled,’’ Senator Cash said.

Senator Cash said Benbrika is a convicted terrorist who planned to conduct violent attacks against Australians on Australian soil.

Acting in the best interests of Australians, the Coalition government cancelled Benbrika’s Australian citizenship under s.36D of the Citizenship Act.

On Wednesday the High Court held that the provision in the Citizenship Act is invalid. This follows a decision of the High Court in June 2022 that found that a related provision in the Citizenship Act was also invalid.

“The Coalition now calls on the Government to urgently introduce and pass legislation in response to these High Court decisions,” Senator Cash said.

“Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil promised to introduce legislation to fix this issue more than a year ago but is yet to do so. She needs to bring that legislation forward as a matter of urgency,’’ Senator Cash said.

“In the meantime, the Government’s immediate priority must be the protection of the Australian community,” she said.

Benbrika is currently held under a continuing detention order which the Coalition Government applied for in late 2020. That order expires soon.

“The Government must pursue every available avenue to keep all Australians safe,” Senator Cash said.

ENDS