The conservative position on national security is typically to trust our military and national security agencies to do their job and to do it well. After all, we expect that these people prioritise our national security, often at the expense of their families and their personal interests. And keeping secrets is part of the job.

But keeping secrets about tourist visas for refugees fleeing a war zone created by Hamas, the proscribed terrorist organisation that attacked Israeli civilians enjoying a music festival (and took scores as hostages, including children), we have to wonder who is being protected.

When it is our Prime Minister who is keeping these secrets, then it is a matter of national interest.

An impartial spectator would be within their rights to question how individuals who potentially are sympathetic to Hamas at best might be granted a visitor visa to Australia to circumvent the time consuming vetting applicable to humanitarian visas processes.

And once here, the Department of Home Affairs indicates that:

‘If you wish to extend your stay, there are a range of visa options available. ​This includes the skilled, family, student, and visitor visa programs.’

As we’re at The Spectator Australia, let us return to the concerns our impartial spectator might observe and which are directly linked to what has been happening since Hamas started its murderous attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

First, the war in Gaza was started by Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, that attacked and killed the most Jewish people in one event since the Holocaust. Many of the hostages taken have either been killed or are still to be returned.

Second, Hamas has used civilians and hospitals, schools, and mosques as shields for their military operations. This means that the rules of war that usually protect such people and places from military aggression are nullified. Further, civilians in Gaza have allegedly held hostages on behalf of Hamas.

Third, Western media outlets (including in Australia) routinely report statistics issued by the Gaza Health Ministry without any acknowledgement that this organisation is controlled by Hamas. Indeed, prominent disinformation expert Andrew Fox has visited Gaza and reported on the extent of disinformation and fake reports that have been disseminated without question by the Western media.

Fourth, when Western news media and then Australians trust the reporting of a terrorist-controlled entity over that of Israel, a liberal democracy, the term ‘useful idiots’ comes to mind. It has even become ‘trendy’ for such oddities as ‘Queers for Palestine’ and to live comfortably with cognitive dissonance. Same-sex relations are prohibited in Gaza and can be punished by torture or even death.

Fifth, one might question why Australia is so interested in taking so many refugees from Gaza. Indeed, no other country has taken more than a handful of refugees from Gaza, including neighbouring Islamic and Arab countries. Yet Australia has generously taken more refugees from Gaza than all other Western countries combined.

Our impartial spectator might also reasonably question why Australia has been so generous to people who voted for Hamas as their representatives in 2006 when:

‘…a surprise surge in support for the Islamists took a party that calls for the destruction of the state of Israel into power.’

There is sufficient risk and doubt about the level of support held for Hamas, the proscribed terrorist organisation, by any refugee exiting Gaza for this to be a national security issue.

Yet Prime Minister Albanese issued Gazan refugees with visitor visas as if they are tourists.

Further, the head of ASIO has been flippant about the conditions on which these refugees are admitted into our society. With the recent debacle where former minister Andrew Giles enabled alleged violent criminals out of detention and onto our streets, our impartial spectator has cause for concern.

In the meantime, Albo has refused to answer ‘reasonable questions’ that our impartial spectator would be entitled to ask.

Balancing humanitarian with legitimate security concerns is not ‘whipping up fear’, something that Prime Minister Albanese accuses the leader of the opposition Peter Dutton for speaking up for all Australians who have concerns over allowing potential Hamas sympathizers to come to (and eventually settle in) Australia.

Our Australian empathy for human suffering has always supported refugees coming to Australia. In 2015, then Prime Minister Abbott allowed for the resettlement of 12,000 Syrians fleeing the murderous Islamic State onslaught at the height of the Syrian humanitarian crisis. What is different this time is the rushed and hushed approach Prime Minister Albanese has taken.

The 12,000 Syrians were subject to personal security vetting conducted in Jordan. This only happened after a lengthy whole of government policy process, including costings which were overseen by the Cabinet’s national security committee.

To overlook justified national security concerns, to label those who disagree with the government’s muddled and dishonest visitor visa approach to the Gazan war as ‘racist’, and to plainly refuse to play by the book is a scandal that warrants calling out.

Dr Michael de Percy @FlaneurPolitiq is a political scientist and political commentator. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILTA), and a Member of the Royal Society of NSW. He is National Vice President of the Telecommunications Association, Chairman of the ACT and Southern NSW Chapter of CILTA, and a member of the Australian Nuclear Association. Michael is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon and was appointed to the College of Experts at the Australian Research Council in 2022.

Professor Sascha-Dominik (Dov) Bachmann @SdBachman is Professor in Law and Co-Convener National Security Hub, University of Canberra, and a Research Fellow with the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University. He is also a Fellow with NATO SHAPE – ACO Office of Legal Affairs where he works on Hybrid Threats and Lawfare.