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Labor leader Chris Minns has defended a party fundraiser set to be held in a community where locals are angered by the repatriation of ISIS brides, but repeated his calls for the federal government to meet with community leaders about the issue.
“It’s important that those who are responsible for these decisions are able to speak with community leaders,” he said.
In his strongest criticism yet of the Albanese government’s silence on repatriating ISIS brides and their children to Western Sydney, Mr Minns said community leaders should have been consulted on the decision.
“I always believe that community leaders and those who are responsible in leadership positions should be consulted about decisions like this,” he said.
Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neil has confirmed she will meet with local leaders to discuss their concerns about how women and children with links to ISIS will be reintegrated into society, but no date has yet been set.
It comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed the PM will speak at a $150-per-head fundraiser in Warwick Farm next month to commemorate the 50 year anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s election win.
That angered Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone, who said that Mr Albanese should be prepared to address community concerns.
Mr Minns defended the fundraiser.
“I think fair minded people would appreciate that’s what political parties do,” he said.
Mr Albanese is listed as the keynote speaker for the Labor fundraiser, to be held at the Holiday Inn in Warwick Farm.
The hotel is on the border of the Fairfield and Liverpool council areas, where mayors Frank Carbone and Ned Mannoun have been highly critical of the government repatriating “ISIS sympathisers” with little consultation.
“If the Prime Minister is willing to come and take our money he should at the very least pay us the respect of coming to talk to our community,” Mr Carbone said.
“This is such an important issue for the community that he can afford to spend a little bit of time consulting with those that made him PM in the first place.” “I’m sure that if Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister today, he would be talking to the community affected by this decision,” Mr Carbone said. The Liverpool mayor said the repatriation of women and children with links to ISIS would be the “elephant in the room” at the fundraising dinner.
“The most important issue (for this community) at this point in time is bringing ISIS sympathisers to live next door to ISIS victims,” Mr Mannoun said.
Mr Carbone and Mr Mannoun met with Opposition Home Affairs spokeswoman Karen Andrews on Tuesday to discuss the resettlement of ISIS brides and their children. The mayors called for Ms Andrews to again push for the government to meet with community groups angered by the repatriation.
