Ruby Jones

And you said that avoiding stigmatisation is going to be very important here, but to what extent do you think that since Bondi, the public view has changed on this?

The federal government has been very actively hands-off and at pains to let everyone know that they have not helped these people in any form to return.

But the reason they are coming back is because they are Australian citizens.

So what are our government's obligations here, not only to these 13 people, but to the rest of the women and the children who remain right now in Syria?

Yeah.

And we've spoken a lot about what it will mean for these women and these children to come back to Australia and what life will be like for them.

But as you have watched that debate play out here over their return, has it made you reflect at all on what it means to be Australian right now, how we're responding to this?

Well, Michelle, thank you so much for your time today.

Also in the news today, energy companies will be forced to set aside gas for Australian use from July next year under a new East Coast gas reserve.

The government says the policy will address looming shortages and bring down gas bills by shielding Australians from international price shocks.

The announcement comes after the Albanese government ruled out imposing a windfall tax on the gas industry in next week's budget.

And Argentinian officials are scrambling to find the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak on board a cruise ship.

There are reports a number of passengers have returned to their home countries, including Australia, one later testing positive in Switzerland.

Three passengers have died, one is in intensive care and three others have been evacuated from the ship after contracting the rodent-borne disease.

I'm Ruby Jones.

This is 7am.

Thanks for listening.