Tanya Plibersek says the Morrison government has known for years about the fate of former translators who aided Australian soldiers and diplomats during the decades long conflict in Afghanistan.

She told Scott Emerson Labor would have worked to evacuate them sooner from Kabul, as the Taliban advanced through the country.

“For literally years now, Australian soldiers have been saying to the Australian government, what are you doing to help the interpreter that helped me, that saved my life, that protected me?

“Our soldiers have been calling our government … saying for goodness sake, these people risked their lives for our personnel to keep them safe, we have got to look after them. That was the moral commitment we made to these people.”

She said Australian veterans have been warning the government about this for years.

“We do have to do the proper checks, but like everything Scott Morrison does, it’s coming way too late in the piece.

“They have been in government now for 8 years.

“It is absurd to suggest that this process is somehow starting, or we didn’t see any of this coming.”

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First flight out of Afghanistan arrives at Australian base