Macpherson erupts over Home Affairs’ ‘blindfold’ approach to online radicalisation

News24 host James Macpherson attacks the Home Affairs Department’s requirement that online deradicalisation initiatives be ideologically neutral, despite ASIO reporting 16 serious terrorist plots have been foiled since the Bondi terror attack. “The Home Affairs Department is advertising for an organisation to help them stop people being radicalised online,” Mr Macpherson said. “It comes after ASIO boss Mike Burgess reported that 16 serious terrorist plots have been foiled in this country since the Bondi terror attack last December. It also comes after reports that current deradicalisation programs are failing. “In the third sentence of the tender documents, we read these all-diversion initiatives must be ideologically neutral and based on behavioural risk rather than any particular extremist ideology. “We're trying to stop people becoming terrorists, but apparently, we're not allowed to ask what ideas are turning them into terrorists. “A blindfold is a particularly poor piece of safety equipment when someone is trying to find a terrorist.”