SUBJECTS: Return permit for ISIS-linked woman, National terrorism threat level, Multiculturalism.

SALLY SARA (HOST): Returning to federal politics and the announcement we heard just a short time ago. An Australian woman living in Syria with links to Islamic State who was issued a temporary exclusion order will now be allowed to return to Australia. Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, has revealed that the woman applied for and has been granted a return permit under legal requirements.

Anne Aly is Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs and joins me in the studio this morning. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

ANNE ALY: Thank you so much.

HOST: That's all right. Just regarding this news this morning, so this Australian woman in Syria who had a temporary exclusion order in place, the Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, has revealed that she now will be returning home. Let's take a quick listen.

[Excerpt]

TONY BURKE: We received the final advice yesterday that we can no longer have an exclusion condition any longer for her. We've checked with our agencies, they are ready, so that permit gets issued. What this then means is the conditions that do apply to her are everything that is possible.

[End of Excerpt]

HOST: You've broad experience in counterterrorism measures. How important is it for the Government to put in as many measures as possible to deal with this return?

ALY: I think it's incredibly important, and I think that we've seen with the return of previous women from Al‑Roj camp and other camps in Syria that the Government and the security agencies, including police, have done everything possible in terms of ensuring that they face the full force of the law upon their return. We've seen that, and I expect that that will also be applied in this case.

HOST: The Government needs to operate within the requirements of the law in this case. But would it have been the Government's preference that this individual remain offshore?

ALY: Well, that is why we applied a temporary exclusion order on this individual. Obviously that temporary exclusion order now is only temporary, it's what was available and what is available in terms of the tools that are available for the Government and the security agencies. There is an argument, of course, that, she should face the full force of the law in Australia. I expect that to happen, as it has happened with the women who have returned before her.

HOST: Do you mean that you expect that charges will be laid?

ALY: That will be up to the security agencies, that will be up to law enforcement. I think the fact that a temporary exclusion order had been successfully applied to her previously indicate that there were some concerns there.

HOST: And what's the legal situation here? Why did the temporary exclusion order reach an end here?

ALY: Well, specifically because it's temporary, so that's the tool that was available.

HOST: So it was a time constraint rather than the conditions that have changed the situation?

ALY: I believe so, I believe so, Sally.

HOST: Earlier I spoke to ASIO Director‑General Mike Burgess about the domestic security threats confronting Australia. In his Annual Threat Assessment Mike Burgess said Australia's terror level of probable doesn't tell the full story. Does the threat advisory system need to be updated, because to go to the next level they would need specific information of an imminent possible attack?

ALY: Look, I think it is consistently reviewed, and I think necessarily so, because the nature of the terrorism threat has changed in Australia and around the world. It's no longer, planned and coordinated attacks by groups of people who meet in person, it's largely driven by individuals who are rapidly radicalised online, there is a combination of ideologies, it's a mixed bag of things like white supremacists, far right, misogynistic ideologies as well as the traditional kind of religiously‑based ideologies as well. So as the nature of the security threat changes, it necessitates a consistent review of how that threat is assessed, and I have full confidence that our security agencies are well‑versed in doing that and are doing that.

HOST: In your portfolio of multicultural affairs, we've had quite a bit of debate this week about monoculturalism or multiculturalism. Pauline Hanson has sought to clarify some of her remarks, as has the Opposition Leader, Angus Taylor. What did you make of Angus Taylor not giving a clear answer several days ago when he was asked about multiculturalism and monoculturalism?

ALY: He didn't just not give a clear answer, he couldn't even say the word multiculturalism. I think it's pretty disgraceful actually, that if you are the leader of an Opposition and you seek to be the leader of a country where multiculturalism is, by the very definition of who we are, our identity, where we pride ourselves on being a successful multicultural nation, and that has been something that has been bipartisan for many, many, many, many decades, then I think it's pretty disgraceful that you can't even bring yourself to say the word multiculturalism because you are running scared from Pauline Hanson and fearful to be even able to defend ‑ to defend something that is at the core of the Australian identity.

HOST: What did you make of Senator Hanson invoking the Socceroos as an example of monoculturalism in her view?

ALY: Well, I thought that was, you know, Pauline Hanson says that she's consistent. She sure has been. For three decades she's been consistent in her contempt for migrants, for refugees and for certain groups, and for her to now, you know, say, the Australian people got it wrong, didn't understand what I was saying, and here are the Socceroos, and invoking the Socceroos and utilising the Socceroos to try and, I don't know, clarify or make herself ‑ her abhorrent views more palatable, I think is just disgraceful.

I think a lot of people see through that. You know, the Socceroos are multicultural, and they are proudly multicultural, and they say they are proudly multicultural, that is what they are.

HOST: How do you see the role of the media in the current debate? We've had reports this morning from Nine newspapers of their own Karl Stefanovic from the Today Show on the Nine Network expected to exit after an interview with right wing figure in the UK, Tommy Robinson, what do you make of that?

ALY: I think that trend is really disturbing, to be honest with you, Sally. I mean, you know, it's not just him, there are other ‑ a number of other figures in the mainstream media who are doing these kind of side hustles, where they're toying with and entertaining these dangerous ideas, and these are dangerous ideas, not because they are about opening up debate and discussing things in a civil manner, which is part of what a democracy is, they are dangerous ideas because they fuel hatred, and they are harmful. I think that there is a responsibility, just as we take as Members of Parliament, we take, or we should take our responsibility to be role models and leaders in promoting inclusion and harmony and social cohesion, so should those figures in the media. They have a responsibility too, and if they can't see that responsibility or if they don't want to take that responsibility seriously, then I think it is entirely appropriate that they should not be in the public sphere.

HOST: So he should go from the Nine Network, in your view?

ALY: Well, that's a decision for the Nine Network. My opinion is that this is a disturbing trend, people need to be taking responsibility for what they do.

HOST: Anne Aly, thank you very much for joining me this morning.

ALY: Pleasure. Thank you, Sally.