Australia PM Malcolm Turnbull defends use of private email server

“We live in Australia”, he said, in comments quoted by Fairfax Media.

“Those people who decide that the response to the extremism of a very small minority is to vilify all Muslims are absolutely acting in a thoroughly counterproductive way”.

In his own statement, Mr Turnbull said it was appropriate that his first destination was New Zealand.

However, Australian National University’s cyber security expert Tom Worthington said that the prime minister has done nothing wrong.

“Australia and New Zealand have a close relationship…this year we commenced a defining moment in our relationship with the centenary of ANZAC”.

It’s unclear whether Turnbull has used his server for prime ministerial business.

Mr Key expects to discuss a number of political, economic, social and security issues “of mutual interest” during their bilateral on Saturday.

“Now, in my view, the values of faith must be reaffirmed as passionately and resolutely as we can in the context of mutual respect”, he said.

In a passionate speech in the wake of a terror attack in Sydney in which a 15-year-old shot dead a police worker, the Prime Minister said violent extremism needed to be tackled head on.

“In fact, he’s opened himself up to more questions”.

Turnbull summed up his sentiments in a Facebook post earlier this afternoon, saying: “We have to call out the language, the examples of disrespect, the language of hatred wherever it is practised”.

“But I can say to you that the advice I consistently have, from my parliamentary colleagues, from the security services [and] from the police services, is that the Muslim community is our absolutely necessary partner in the battle against violent extremism”, he told reporters in Sydney.

Turnbull has been unapologetic in his defence of Australian multiculturalism and Islam before. “Australia gives us lots of benefits, there’s opportunity and you are allowed to practise your religion freely”. It will take a great deal of time and energy to undo the damage Abbott and his ilk have done in this area, but at least a start has been made today.

Political and religious leaders have united to tell violent extremists to leave the country ahead of a top-level counter-terrorism meeting in Canberra next week.

“Classified information can only be exchanged through government systems”, Turnbull said in a Friday press conference.

In Tasmania, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten shared those sentiments: “If you really hate Australia, then you should go”, he said.