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Opinion

Matthew Knott National correspondent October 9, 2025 — 5.00am

Michaelia Cash is not a politician who can be accused of lacking energy. So when parliament resumed after a month-long break on Tuesday, the opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman was raring to go. Senate estimates are under way in Canberra, offering Coalition and crossbench senators a rare opportunity to probe public servants about how government decisions are made. Estimates can be tedious and prone to grandstanding, but still serve as a crucial vehicle for transparency and accountability. This week’s hearings are the first since the Albanese government’s crushing May election victory.

Cash’s focus was the arrival of a group of so-called ISIS brides and their children t

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