“Our response must be as clear-eyed and strategic as it is determined”.
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Turnbull’s statement is expected to have similarities with his speech delivery at the Sydney Institute in July when he said that terrorism is an issue that can not be underestimated, but at the same time the IS threat shouldn’t be overplayed. “Calm, clinical, professional, effective – that’s how we defeat this menace”.
“Our first point of call in relation to these investigations is where there’s been a criminal offence committed we arrest, charge and prosecute”, he said. Australia is already the second largest contributor to the US-led coalition seeking to drive IS out of Iraq and Syria. Currently, about 100 Australian special forces are advising counterterrorism agencies in Iraq while another 300 are training members of the Iraqi army.
Turnbull reiterated there are no plans to change Australia’s military tactics against Islamic State, despite some politicians calling for troops to be sent to Syria.
The Prime Minister is understood to have been under some pressure from within his own party to deliver a security statement matching the rhetoric of his predecessor, Tony Abbott, who has recently called for a stepped-up Australian military involvement.
Ultimately a political solution would be needed in Syria. “Only this would allow attention to turn more fully to eliminating ISIL as a military force”.
“We must not be fooled by its hype”, he said. The terror alert a year ago was raised to high.
He thanked those who had denounced clearly the Paris attacks.
Mr Turnbull also announced the government would move to a new terrorism alert system that would provide more information on the nature of threats. He said it would also provide domestic spy agency ASIO with greater flexibility in determining the threat levels, reflecting the need to adapt to an “evolving security environment”.
The notoriously conservative senator insisted that it was too hard for the United Nations and Australian authorities to assess whether refugee applicants from the war torn region would not go on to engage in terrorist activities once in Australia.
“It would be very hard to get those sorts of weapons here in Australia because of our very robust gun laws”.
“We are working more closely than ever to share intelligence and counter messaging strategies”.
“The Secretary-General expressed concern over the detention conditions in Australia’s offshore processing centres and encouraged the Prime Minister to reconsider Operation Sovereign Borders”.
Mr Turnbull said Australia had advantages over Europe in terms of vulnerability.
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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asked Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to speed up environmental tests of the sulfur content of Australian coal shipments that are disrupting trade and depressing prices.
