Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is under intense scrutiny following the leak of confidential documents detailing secret discussions about the repatriation of Australian women and children from former Islamic State territories.
Leaked Minutes Reveal Private Discussions
The controversy centres on minutes from a meeting held on June 13 between the minister, officials, and representatives from the charity Save the Children. The documents emerged as Australian authorities anticipate the return of more individuals linked to ISIS before the end of the year.
According to the leaked notes, obtained by The Australian, Burke refused to provide formal government assistance to stranded Australians in Syrian camps. However, he notably suggested there "might be a way to achieve the same outcome without government undertakings." The minister emphasised the government did not want to be seen as "paying to have them smuggled out."
A 'Frank' Discussion Behind Closed Doors
The leaked records reveal a particularly unusual moment during the talks. Burke requested a senior public servant to leave the room to enable a "frank" discussion with campaigner Kamalle Dabboussy, the father of a returned ISIS bride.
"At this stage, I was asked to leave by the minister to enable a frank discussion to take place," the official wrote. Dabboussy had requested confidentiality for the conversation, which the minister granted.
Following the meeting, Dabboussy and Save the Children chief executive Mat Tinkler wrote to Burke seeking help with passport applications for women and children seeking to leave Syria.
Returns Amid Security Concerns and Political Fallout
This leak comes after it was revealed in October that two women and four children returned to Australia on September 26. They had managed to travel from Syria to Lebanon, where they were issued Australian passports after undergoing DNA and security checks. The women had originally travelled to or been taken to Syria as so-called ISIS brides.
The Opposition has accused the Albanese government of keeping the public in the dark about these repatriations, citing community safety concerns. Opposition home affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam is demanding answers, pointing to the handwritten notes as evidence of deeper involvement.
"Australians need to hear a direct and urgent explanation from Minister Burke: what was his exact involvement in helping facilitate the returns of ISIS brides?" Duniam stated.
Minister Burke, however, maintains the government's position has been consistent. He asserts that only legal obligations, such as passport processing, were fulfilled, and no active assistance for repatriation was given. "The notes and the letter... confirm what the government has always said: there was a request... to conduct a repatriation operation; it was refused," Burke told The Australian.
Meanwhile, security preparations are ongoing. Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt told a parliamentary hearing in October that authorities are preparing for more arrivals from the Middle East and have appropriate investigations underway concerning returning Australians.
