Prime Minister Tony Abbott will visit Muslim communities in Sydney and Melbourne to discuss changes to national security laws.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott will visit Muslim communities in Sydney and Melbourne to discuss changes to national security laws. Photo: Andrew Meares




Prime Minister Tony Abbott has elaborated on his "Team
Australia" remarks, telling a radio interview that "you don't migrate to
this country unless you want to join our team".



The Prime Minister will meet Muslim communities in Sydney on Monday and in Melbourne this week to quell disquiet about the government's counter-terrorism plans.




In an interview with Sydney radio station 2GB, Mr Abbott harked back to a term he used earlier this month when announcing enhanced national security laws, saying "everyone has got to be on team Australia".



He went on to say "everyone has got to put this country, its
interests, its values and its people first, and you don't migrate to
this country unless you want to join our team".


Mr Abbott was asked what should be done if someone in
Australia was discovered flying a flag for a terrorist organisation over
their home or business.



"I don't know what the legal position is but frankly the only
flag that should be flying is the Australian national flag," Mr Abbott
said.



Mr Abbott said the government had to be vigilant in
addressing the "serious problem of radicalised people going to the
Middle East to fight with terrorist groups" and then trying to return to
Australia.



"What we need to do is to encourage the moderate mainstream to speak out," he said.



"Overwhelmingly, our country is comprised of good decent
people who want to put Australia and its people first, and it's
important that individual communities can't be caricatured on the basis
of a militant few."



more to come