Overview
- The government issued a travel permit on Thursday allowing the final Australian woman linked to Islamic State and her child to apply to return from Syrian detention camps.
- Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke had placed a Temporary Exclusion Order on the woman in February and she was prevented from boarding a Damascus flight in May, a measure that can bar citizens for up to two years unless a permit is sought.
- The permit will carry the highest level of monitoring that the law allows, including requirements to report residence, work or study locations, disclose travel plans, and give 24 hours’ notice before using any phone, email or social media.
- ASIO and the Australian Federal Police say they are prepared to apply full surveillance and investigative powers on arrival, but it is unclear when the pair will land and whether the AFP will make arrests that could lead to charges.
- The move follows earlier repatriation cohorts this year that saw immediate AFP arrests and a political debate about the limits of Temporary Exclusion Orders, the welfare needs of children with medical issues, and the prospect of legal challenges over the power to bar citizens.