Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected a proposal by the federal opposition to jail anyone who assists Islamic State-linked families attempting to return to Australia, calling the plan unconstitutional and poorly conceived. The opposition intends to introduce legislation that would impose prison terms of up to 10 years on those who help women known as 'Islamic State brides' come back to the country.

A group of 34 Australian women and children remains stranded in a Syrian refugee camp after travelling to the Middle East with men who joined Islamic State before its defeat in 2019. Although they have been issued Australian passports, they have been unable to secure travel to Damascus for a flight home. One woman has been barred from returning under a temporary exclusion order, and Albanese said existing counterterrorism laws were already being enforced.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor argued the changes are necessary to prevent individuals who may pose security risks from re-entering Australia. However, the Greens and aid organisations, including Save the Children Australia, criticised the proposal as reckless and dangerous, warning it could criminalise humanitarian groups assisting vulnerable children. Albanese said while he sympathised with the children, their parents had chosen to travel to the conflict zone, and he maintained the government would not repatriate the group.