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By evening, the Prime Minister had canceled all public engagements and retreated to the Lodge. His office issued a second statement insisting that the repatriations were “limited, closely monitored, and fully compliant with law,” yet offered no detailed rebuttal to the documents now circulating publicly.
The defamation lawsuit may take months or even years to play out, but in the court of public opinion, a verdict has already been delivered: trust in Labor’s handling of national security has plummeted. Whether Albanese can recover from the fallout—or whether this scandal ultimately defines his prime ministership—remains uncertain. One fact is clear: after today, no one in Canberra—or across Australia—will ever view ISIS bride repatriation, passports, or government oversight in quite the same way again.