Shadow Minister for Police and Counter-terroism Anthony Roberts has said the NSW Government is being 'left exposed' without answers into where returning ISIS brides will be living.

According to Mr Roberts the Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism admitted under questioning in parliament that she didn't know where ISIS brides returning to New South Wales will be residing.

Minister Yasmin Cately told the Supplementary Budget Estimates in the NSW Parliament that she had 'no idea' which police districts would be affected by the return of five women and children with links to ISIS, who are currently in Syria.

Mr Roberts believes that despite holding the Counter-terrorism portfolio, the Minister conceded she is not a decision-maker in the process and is merely being briefed, while responsibility restes elsewhere within the government and with bureaucrats.

Mr Roberts said the admission was deeply concerning.

"Community safety must always come first, particularly when dealing with individuals returning from conflict zones with links to ISIS," he said.

"It beggars belief that the Police Minister does not know where these individuals will be settled, or which communities will be directly impacted."

In 2022 a woman with local connections was repatriated to Australia and faced charges of willingly entering Syria to be with her Islamic State militant husband. The woman's husband, who also had ties to the Young area, was killed in the conflict prior to her her return to the country. The woman received no conviction and had the matters discharged in Goulburn Local Court in June 2024.

Prior to the woman's return, in February 2017 a local man was arrested and charged for researching and designing long-range missiles and laser warning devices for Islamic State, he was sentenced with a nine year prison sentence and a non-parole period of six years and nine months, he became eligible for parole in December 2023.

"The people of NSW deserve transparency and confidence that appropriate security and counter-terrorism measures are in place," Mr Roberts said.

"Instead, we have a Minister who admits she is not across critical operational details."

Mr Roberts is calling on the NSW Government to clarify who is making these decisions and what safeguards are being implemented to protect local communities.

"On an issue as serious as ISIS repatriation, being 'briefed' is not enough," he said.

"The Police Minister should be leading from the front, not sitting on the sidelines."