‘We wouldn’t anticipate participating in the future’: Wong
The Australian government faced questions this morning regarding the possibility of deploying troops to the Middle East should the conflict escalate.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles clarified that Australia was not involved in the recent strikes and had not been notified beforehand. He confirmed that over 100 Australian defence personnel are stationed at bases in the Middle East.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia is not a central player in Middle Eastern issues.
"We all want peace in the region. And what I would say is obviously Australia’s not central to the issues in the Middle East. We didn’t participate in these strikes and we wouldn’t anticipate participating in the future."
How many Australians are in the Middle East?
Amid the influx of information this morning, it was clarified that approximately 115,000 Australians are currently in the Middle East. Due to this significant number, the government has not committed to organising repatriation flights but advised that once flights resume, commercial flights would be the fastest option for return.
To illustrate the volume of travel, Penny Wong noted earlier that on a typical day, about 11,000 Australians travel through the region via Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways.
However, the closure of airspace has caused substantial flight disruptions and delays, affecting not only those transiting the area but also other travellers.
Independents push back on ‘mates over merit’ culture
Independent MP Sophie Scamps plans to address parliamentary concerns regarding the government’s response to the 'jobs for mates' review by reintroducing legislation aimed at preventing former politicians from receiving high-profile official appointments.
Scamps, representing Mackellar, has updated her Transparent and Quality Public Appointments Bill following Labor’s December release of a report by Lynelle Briggs. The report found that major parties have routinely abused appointments to government boards, leading to public distrust due to the perception of "overpaid political hacks" lacking proper qualifications.
With support from Independent Andrew Gee, the bill proposes an independent and transparent process for major Commonwealth appointments to ensure selections are merit-based rather than politically motivated.
The bill also mandates a six-month cooling-off period for former politicians and senior political staff, and an 18-month period for former ministers or parliamentary secretaries before they can be appointed to significant public roles.
"It’s bad for democracy and bad for Australians when governments choose who suits them best, not who is best for the job. I am taking this action because the government has not … Australians deserve a system where these high-paid and powerful appointments are based on merit, not mateship. This bill puts an end to the quiet deals and back‑room pathways that have damaged confidence in government for far too long."
A look at the corridor this morning
Several politicians were seen in the parliamentary corridor this morning. Despite their differing political views, Penny Wong and Barnaby Joyce shared a cordial handshake and smile.
Marles says ‘concerned but confident’ about the wellbeing of Australian defence personnel
Richard Marles confirmed that more than 100 Australian defence personnel are deployed in the region, including at the Al Minhad airbase near Dubai.
Speaking to , Marles stated that all defence personnel have been accounted for and that the government has taken measures to enhance the safety of diplomatic staff following the death of three US soldiers in a strike on a Kuwaiti army base.
"We’ve taken measures in respect of the safety of all of those Australian personnel, and all of them are accounted for and so we are very much concerned but confident about their wellbeing, and we’re very attentive to that.
Our diplomatic presence in the region is obviously very important, and we are very mindful of their safety. We have taken steps in the days leading up to this, because, you know, we could see what was brewing in respect of their dependence."
Marles declined to speculate on whether Australia might participate in future military actions.
"I’m not in the habit of speculating. This is action that’s being undertaken by the US and Israel and [I’ll] leave it at that."
Australia imports crude oil from around the world: Marles
During an interview on , Marles addressed comments by Barnaby Joyce regarding Australia's limited crude oil reserves and refining capacity, and the potential exposure due to the Middle East conflict.
Marles acknowledged that Australia imports crude oil globally, including from the Middle East, and that the government is monitoring the situation closely.
"Look, we take crude oil from around the world, but that would include from the Middle East, but it’s not the only place where we take crude oil from. But I guess what that highlights is that, I mean, this is an important region. It has an impact on the global economy. We’ll all be watching that very closely, exactly what impact it has as a function of how long this continues."
Joyce says petrol prices will increase due to conflict
On a Sunrise panel with Tanya Plibersek, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce emphasized the need for Australia to bolster fuel supplies amid risks from the Middle East conflict.
The International Energy Agency recommends countries maintain 90 days of fuel reserves during crises, but reports from October last year indicate Australia holds only about 28 days’ worth.
"It’s a shame in a crisis like this that we’ve got ourselves down to two oil refineries, so that if there’s a crisis in the production of fuel, we’re in a bad spot.
We’ve got the old policies here – cross fingers, everything should be right as long as President Trump is able to bring this to a conclusion … People have got to start looking at what the effects are for Australia, not just the Middle East, and you can start looking for those effects at a petrol pump near you."
Plibersek responded by suggesting Joyce’s argument supports the case for electric vehicle adoption, to which Joyce reacted with a face palm.
"There will be an economic impact of this. There was an economic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that affected the whole world, and that includes Australia. This is an area where a lot of our global oil and petrol, ultimately, is impacted by what’s being produced in the Middle East. I mean, it is a very good argument for Australia to have energy security and energy independence."
Marles says Australia was not involved in US-Israeli strikes on Iran
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles reiterated in media appearances alongside Penny Wong that Australia supports efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons but was not informed of the recent strikes prior to their occurrence.
Speaking on RN Breakfast, Marles confirmed Australia’s non-involvement, including the use of US joint facilities on Australian soil.
"We weren’t advised of this before it happened, but we wouldn’t have expected to be either.
We support the United States in preventing Iran acquiring a nuclear capability. The UN security council has long been in a position of doing everything within its power to stop Iran acquiring that capability. I mean, ultimately, the legality of these measures is a matter for both the United States and Israel to go through."
Wong not yet committing to repatriation flights
In the press gallery corridor, Penny Wong reiterated that due to the large number of Australians in the Middle East, commercial flights would be the fastest means of return once airspace reopens.
She declined to commit to government-organised repatriation flights at this stage.
"As I said, given the numbers, the fastest way to get people home would be if commercial flights recommence. So we want to see whether that commences. I think that most, most of our like-minded [countries] are in a similar position, given the numbers of people in the region.
There’s conflict in the region, we’ve seen loss of life across the region and airspace is not open. So whether or not it is an Australian flight or a commercial flight, the flights are not able to occur."
Regarding the risk of Iran developing nuclear weapons, Wong noted Iran’s consistent failure to comply with UN Security Council decisions concerning its nuclear program.
"We know that the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is the nuclear watchdog, has already has given evidence about the enrichment stage at which Iran have reached, and they have also said that Iran has refused to fully comply with the inspection regime. So I think we all understand the intention behind the regime."
Insects, mould, bird lice: NSW announces review of 'serious' hospital maintenance issues
State Health Minister Ryan Park announced overnight that NSW Health is conducting an urgent review of serious hospital maintenance issues.
The review has already identified 112 non-routine issues, including reports of mosquitos, crickets, beetles, possums, mould, asbestos, and leaking roofs across various hospitals. Additional concerns include flies, birds, cockroaches, pigeons, bird lice, and more possums.
Shadow Health Minister Sarah Mitchell issued a critical statement expressing concern that these problems may represent only the beginning.
"Patients go to hospital for treatment and care, not to be put in further danger due to toxic mould, or conditions caused by bird droppings and dead pigeons in roof cavities and air-conditioning units.
Hygiene in hospitals is paramount and my heart breaks for the families who have lost loved ones to these illnesses."
Legal ‘basis’ for strikes for US and Israel to explain: Wong
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong reiterated that Australia had no involvement in the strikes on Iran and emphasized the necessity of preventing Iran’s nuclear program from advancing.
In an interview with ABC News Breakfast, Wong said she had not spoken to her US counterpart, Marco Rubio, and did not expect to, as Australia is not a central actor in the region.
When asked about the legality of the strikes, Wong deferred to the US and Israel to provide explanations.
"One of the distinctions with Iraq, between Iraq and now, is that we are not participating in these strikes. That’s the first point I’d make. The second is, what I’ve said is that the legal basis of this is for the United States and Israel to explain.
We’re obviously not party to the intelligence that both that the United States and the Israelis are referencing in their decisions. That is why it is for them to explain the legal basis of this. We do support action taken to ensure Iran does not have a nuclear weapon."
Regarding potential regime change following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Wong stated that the future of Iran rests with its people, despite US President Donald Trump’s calls for regime change.
"The future of Iran is in the hands of the Iranian people. And what we do know from history is that regime change is not something that can sustainably be externally imposed.
In relation to Ayatollah Khamenei, as you said, no one will mourn his passing. This is the leader who has been responsible for brutally murdering his own people."
115,000 Australians in the Middle East region
As Australians are advised against travel to the Middle East, Penny Wong confirmed there are about 115,000 Australians in the region, with approximately 11,000 regularly travelling in and out on Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways.
Speaking on ABC News Breakfast, Wong emphasized that the quickest way for Australians to return home would be via commercial flights, rather than government-organised repatriations.
She noted that currently, no flights are available to facilitate Australians’ return.
"It’s very difficult at the moment for government to provide a great deal of assistance in circumstances where flights are being cancelled, disrupted and their space is closed.
First we need to see if commercial flights will restart. Given the numbers of people in the region, people will get home most quickly if they, if, if we can facilitate people getting on to commercial flights. At the moment, the issue is not who is flying, it’s that people are not flying."
Smartraveller tells Australians not to travel to most countries in the Middle East
Smartraveller has updated its travel advisories, warning Australians against travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The advisory also recommends reconsidering travel to Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, Penny Wong cautioned Australians to expect travel disruptions.
"We understand this will be a challenging time for many people, particularly those with family in the region or travel plans.
The Albanese government’s priority is the safety and security of Australians. We will continue to support Australians to navigate the disruption ahead, providing regular travel advice updates and consular assistance where we can, noting there are limits to what any government can do in a fast-moving and uncertain environment."
Wong also warned that travellers not passing through the Middle East should anticipate some disruptions.
The statement advised Australians to:
- Closely monitor events and local media.
- Check directly with travel agents or airlines to confirm plans.
- Review travel insurance coverage for cancellations.
- Follow Smartraveller for the latest advice and for updates.
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you for a very busy sitting day ahead.
There will be extensive domestic reactions to the unfolding situation in Iran and the Middle East. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong issued a statement this morning warning Australians about travel disruptions. Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will be conducting media interviews throughout the day, which we will provide as they occur.
As noted earlier, the House of Representatives will look notably different today with Angus Taylor occupying the opposition leader’s chair for the first time since replacing Sussan Ley. He will be accompanied by his newly formed frontbench.
I have my coffee ready and hope you do too. Let’s begin.
House prices flatline in Sydney and Melbourne
Cotality’s latest Home Value Index reveals that home values in Sydney and Melbourne have stagnated, while mid-sized capitals have experienced significant monthly gains. Perth leads the nation with a 27.1% price increase over the past year.
Dwelling values rose 2.3% in February alone, adding over $22,500 to the median home price. Brisbane and Adelaide also outperformed, with increases of 1.6% and 1.3%, respectively.
Conversely, Sydney and Melbourne saw no growth over the month, concluding a quarter marked by slight declines.
Cotality’s research director, Tim Lawless, described the "two-speed conditions" as extraordinary, noting that the property markets of major and mid-sized capitals have been diverging for years. He attributed the outsized gains in other capitals to tight supply and high demand.
Good morning and welcome to Australia’s politics live blog.
Federal parliament is sitting as Anthony Albanese marks 30 years in politics and Angus Taylor begins his first week in Canberra as opposition leader. Th...
