News and politics live updates: Minister rules out government help for ISIS-linked doctor Tareq Kamleh

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has slammed the Labor government for their handling of Australians with links to terrorist groups.

The outspoken senator wrote on X that, “ We do not want them back”; referring to so-called “ISIS brides” and the Perth-born doctor with ISIS links, Tareq Kamleh.

Her post comes after a statement was released earlier on Wednesday morning to say that terrorists would “never return” under a One Nation government.

Pauline Hanson has made her intentions to run for Prime Minister clear.

She was asked if she wanted the nation’s top job, considering her recent ratings surge.

“If you’ve got passion about what’s happening and you feel for the people out there living in poverty and the despair and everything like that, of course you’d want to be Prime Minister if you have an opportunity to actually turn it around,” Senator Hanson told 4BC.

“We won in Farrer with 40 per cent of the vote. We won seven seats in South Australia. Victoria is going to be a real tester for us as well. But it’s up to the people of Australia.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has demanded “justice” while confronting her Lao counterpart over Laos’ response to the deaths of Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles.

The Australian teens were among six backpackers who died after drinking methanol-laced alcohol at a hostel in Vang Vieng in late 2024.

Little has come from the lengthy local investigation, with 10 people handed suspended sentences or $185 fines and the owner of the distillery involved in the mass poisoning facing charges with a maximum penalty of four years.

“Holly and Bianca’s families deserve justice,” Senator Wong said after her meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

“I made clear that Australia expects the Lao government to ensure this investigation fully reflects the seriousness of this tragedy and that those responsible are held properly to account.

“Our advocacy for Holly and Bianca’s families is not over.”

Read the full story here.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has declared if her party ever took office it would take “every conceivable step” to block the return of ISIS terrorists to Australia.

Former Perth-based doctor and Islamic State recruit Tareq Kamleh is reportedly being held in an Iraqi prison years after he was widely thought to have been killed in the Middle East.

“The Australian community’s safety must be protected,” Senator Hanson said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Australians don’t want these people coming back and they’re appalled at the Albanese Labor government’s efforts to bring them back.

“Unlike the Albanese Labor government, which cannot be honest or transparent with the Australian people about its role in facilitating the return of ISIS terrorists, a One Nation government would take every possible measure to ensure they never return.”

Opposition leader Angus Taylor does not want Tareq Amleh to get a passport, and is urging the government to ensure that it does not happen.

The Australian doctor and former Islamic State recruit was thought to have been killed almost a decade ago, but it is now believed he is being held in an Iraqi prison.

Mr Taylor told reporters on Wednesday that the government needed to stop him from returning to Australia.

“The Labor Party needs to commit to preventing that from happening,” he said.

“They have many levers at their disposal. They can ensure that this person does not get a passport.”

Labor’s Housing Minister repeatedly dodged questions on changing the Australian flag as a powerful union pushed to strip the Union Jack from its design.

The awkward exchange comes ahead of Labor’s National Conference in Adelaide this week, where the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) is urging the party to back a sweeping package of reforms, including replacing the current national flag.

In a proposed policy, the union argues the Union Jack is a “symbol of oppression” that should be removed from public life.

“We need to strip away the constant reminders of the old ruling class and colonial empire,” the policy states.

“Symbols of oppression, like the Union Jack on our flag and offensive colonial statues, must be removed from public life.”

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Barnaby Joyce has defended himself after he was criticised for yelling at his dog during a live ABC interview, insisting the pet “still loves him”.

The One Nation MP startled viewers when he turned away from 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson and shouted “sit down” at an off-camera dog that could not be seen or heard by those watching from home.

Mr Joyce quickly explained the blow-up, saying “Sorry, it’s the dog.”

The interview, which focused on questions about Senator Pauline Hanson’s recent interview with Tommy Robinson and comments referencing the White Australia policy, then resumed, but the canine made its presence felt again later on.

When Ms Ferguson asked the former Nationals leader about a manifesto Restore Britain founder Rupert Lowe gave Hanson titled ‘Mass Deportation’ the dog supposedly chimed in again.

Read full story here.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has raised concerns about China’s recent test-firing of a nuclear-capable missile into the Pacific during a face-to-face meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.

Beijing has described this month’s firing of the ballistic weapon from a submarine as “routine”, but the activity has been condemned by Australia and numerous other nations.

The Nightly’s been told Senator Wong also again raised the case of Dr Yang Hengjun, an Australian democracy activist and writer, who’s been detained in China for years on spying charges he denies.

“I expect we will discuss our concerns today, including around peace and stability in our region, safe and professional military conduct, and the importance of transparency and reassurance of intent, as well as the issues of consular, human rights and other bilateral and regional matters,” Wong said ahead of the meeting.

Pauline Hanson is facing another political headache after video surfaced of One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts claiming deaths were “staged” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It comes as the party recorded a dip in popularity according to a major national poll, with Senator Hanson facing criticism over a recent trip to Europe.

In a video interview published in 2025 and first reported by the Nine newspapers, Senator Roberts questions the extent of deaths during the early days of the pandemic.

“Major news broadcasters had these videos of people dying in their droves in makeshift morgues in the streets of New York, the streets of Beijing, the streets of Italy,” Senator Roberts told a forum hosted by podcaster Sam Hope.

“We thought it is pretty serious from what we’ve seen. We didn’t realise until fairly recently that those were all staged. They’re bullshit.”

Senator Roberts also questioned the severity of the illness, saying if you don’t take into account the most vulnerable such as the elderly and immunocompromised, the severity must be low.

“The chief medical officer who was involved in staging a lot of the lies we were told by the bureaucracy ... the chief medical officer’s graphs showed low to moderate severity,” he said.

“We were conned.”

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The Albanese Government has ruled out helping Australian doctor and former Islamic State recruit Tareq Kamleh return to Australia after reports he is being held in an Iraqi prison.

Speaking to Channel Nine, Environment Minister Murray Watt said the government would not assist Australians who chose to join foreign terrorist organisations, while acknowledging there were constitutional limits on preventing citizens from returning home.

“We’ve made clear for some time now that we won’t be providing any assistance as a government to anyone whose made the absolutely awful decision to join a foreign terrorist organisation,” Mr Watt said.

Asked whether Kamleh would ultimately be allowed back into Australia, he replied, “That remains to be seen. We won’t be providing assistance, just as we haven’t provided assistance to others to come back.”

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Ted O’Brien said the government needed to outline what steps it would take to prevent former Islamic State fighters from returning.

“The government can’t just say, ‘Oh, we’re not going to help them’. What are you actually going to proactively do to protect the Australian people?” he said.