Reports today reveal the Abbott Government has dropped the ball in regards to preventing radicalisation at home.

Preventing people from radicalisation is vitally important work and the Government must ensure that funding for Countering Violent Extremism programs is making its way into the community.

Building social cohesion and bringing the community with you is key to preventing radicalisation.

As ASIO’s Director General of Security, Duncan Lewis has said:

“We will do all that we can to protect the community, but we understand we can't arrest our way to success. If there is indeed a silver bullet to solving the issue of radicalisation, it is in the area of social cohesion.”

Working with the community in a meaningful way is hugely important and the Government must properly engage with community leaders to foster the social cohesion required to prevent radicalisation.

It is also vital that leaders, both in the community and in the Parliament, work to build social cohesion and foster community harmony.

TUESDAY, 23 JUNE 2015