After declaring the presence of 71 Australian fighters in the Middle East, 17 deaths, and the cancellation of 73 Australian passports on ABC television in early November, Attorney-General George Brandis announced another 20 deaths on Tuesday. Mr Brandis suggested a higher death toll by citing 20 as the minimum number, and also said that, while another 20 people have returned home, 70 Australians remain in Northern Iraq and Syria.
However, Mr Brandis' intention was not merely the presentation of updated statistics, as the Attorney-General also spoke to the media about the use of Australians as "cannon fodder" by IS forces. According to Mr Brandis, before their eventual appearance on the frontline, Australian targets are recruited through exaggerated accounts of a religious crusade in which they are cast as important agents. Mr Brandis provided further evidence by adding that the Australian death toll in the Middle East has spiked in recent weeks.
Mr Brandis' comments were reinforced by Victoria's Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay, who spoke of the very high likelihood of death that accompanies the young men who choose to fight for ISIS. Mr Lay also pointed toward social media as a recruitment tool, and said that police jurisdictions across the country are monitoring the use of online networking platforms.
Tuesday's comments were published after Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop used the provisions of the Foreign Fighters Bill on Thursday to make it an offence for Australians to travel to the Al-Raqqa province of Syria. The province had been identified as the de facto headquarters of ISIS. Passed in October, the Bill is the foundation of the Abbott government's overall effort to prevent Australians from joining terrorist groups in overseas locations.
Under the Foreign Fighters Bill, those found guilty of advocating terrorism face a prison term of up to five years, while the maximum penalty for disclosing secret information is now 10 years' imprisonment. Since Thursday, any Australian apprehended in the Al-Raqqa province without a legitimate purpose can be jailed for up to 10 years.