Politics live: Wong says Australia faces its biggest consular crisis in Middle East; Hastie calls PM’s tabling of Liberal review a ‘boss move’ | Australia news
First Dubai to Sydney flight scheduled for this morning
Penny Wong has told ABC AM that the first flight from Dubai to Sydney could depart this morning (Australia time), but is “dependent on the circumstances”.
The foreign minister still maintains that commercial flights are the best option for Australians trying to get home.
Wong says the government is engaging with countries in the region, particularly the United Arab Emirates, where there are about 24,000 Australians. There are 115,000 Australians in the broader region.
She says the situation is “a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people.”
double quotation mark Obviously, it’s very unpredictable. And I understand there is a flight scheduled from Dubai to Sydney.We are looking at all contingencies that are possible, but I again say what I’ve said over the last two days. When you have as many Australians as we have in, particularly in the Emirates, but broadly in the region, so it’s 115,000 Australians in the broader region, 24,000 in Emirates … That volume of traffic will really need to see commercial flights resume even if only sporadically, to get people home.
Key events
‘Boss move’ from PM to table Liberal review, says Hastie
Shadow minister for industry and sovereign capability, Andrew Hastie, joins RN Breakfast next, and says it was a “boss move” for Anthony Albanese to table the Liberals post election review.
The Liberal party had tried to shelve the review, but it was already leaking out to the media before landing in the prime minister’s hands.
Hastie says the party and the new leaders have already acknowledged some of the things they got wrong in the election.
double quotation mark [Albanese] likes theatre. He had a twinkle in his eye when he did that. Obviously, it was leaked, and there was a bit of stagecraft from him … But we’re not going to live in the past, we’re going to live in the future, and our mission is to restore Australian’s standard of living. We’re going backwards under Labor and also to protect our way of life. And that’s why we’ve been pursuing the Isis sympathiser case this week, because our way of life is being challenged.
Host, Sally Sara, asks Hastie why the party is targeting the women and children stuck in a Syrian detention camp, rather than focusing on the economy. He says the issue goes to the two core pillars of the party’s platform, to “restore our standard of living and protect our way of life,” and that just because commentators might not like the question time strategy, it “doesn’t mean it’s wrong”.
‘Alarming parallels’ with Iraq 2003, says Wilkie
Andrew Wilkie, an independent MP and former senior intelligence analyst with the Office of National Assessments, says the US and Israel have “exaggerated” justifications for the strikes on Iran, and has accused Donald Trump of using “political tricks” to increase the Republicans’ polling ahead of the midterms.
On RN Breakfast, Wilkie says there are “alarming parallels” between the situation now and when the US invaded Iraq in 2003, which had followed the 2002 US midterm elections.
Wilkie also points out that the US talking about nuclear possibility in Iran 18 months away is “completely inconsistent” with what Trump said after the 12-day war, that they had crushed Iran’s nuclear capability.
double quotation mark In both cases there was a failure to secure the approval of the United Nations. In fact, this time around, the United States hasn’t even attempted to get the approval of the United Nations.Back in 2003, that was just after the 2002 congressional midterm elections when the Republicans had really beaten the drums of war and they did well in those congressional midterms. But by that stage they were on an inevitable course to have the conflict. Same this time around. The Republicans are doing poorly at the moment, their polling is poor, president Trump’s polling is poor, so they start to beat the drums of war again. It’s a political trick as old as countries themselves.
Farrell says $15bn of trade could be impacted by war
Labor’s trade minister, Don Farrell, says a “relatively small” amount of Australia’s exports go through the Middle East as the war escalates in the region.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, Farrell says he’s meeting with 40 of Australia’s largest trade organisations today to ensure the industry comes “out the other end of this in a solid situation.”
Farrell won’t bite on how long the conflict could possibly go on for, and says he won’t speculate.
double quotation mark A relatively small amount, about $15bn worth of trade goes through the Middle East. Obviously, that’s very important for those companies that are trading there.Our trade is, in fact, increasing in the Middle East. We now have a free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Already, our beef trade has doubled in the six months that that trade agreement has been in operation. But of course, all of that gets affected by this uncertainty of the war in the Middle East.
Wong avoids questions on legality of strikes on Iran
The Australian government has so far dodged any questions around the legality of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, saying it’s a matter for the two nations.
ABC AM host, Melissa Clark, tries again to push Wong on the issue, following US president Donald Trump’s statement that he thought Iran was going to attack Israel, and so the US had to strike first.
Wong won’t bite, but adds that this conflict didn’t start with those strikes by the US and Israel, and also points to the role of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
double quotation mark The legal basis of these strikes is ultimately a matter for the United States and Iran, sorry, and Israel, is ultimately a matter for the United States and Israel. We know Iran has failed to comply with UN security council resolutions on its nuclear program. We know what Iran has been doing over many years. I think it is important for us to remember this has not started with these strikes. This has been going on for decades, including in Australia.
First Dubai to Sydney flight scheduled for this morning
Penny Wong has told ABC AM that the first flight from Dubai to Sydney could depart this morning (Australia time), but is “dependent on the circumstances”.
The foreign minister still maintains that commercial flights are the best option for Australians trying to get home.
Wong says the government is engaging with countries in the region, particularly the United Arab Emirates, where there are about 24,000 Australians. There are 115,000 Australians in the broader region.
She says the situation is “a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people.”
double quotation mark Obviously, it’s very unpredictable. And I understand there is a flight scheduled from Dubai to Sydney.We are looking at all contingencies that are possible, but I again say what I’ve said over the last two days. When you have as many Australians as we have in, particularly in the Emirates, but broadly in the region, so it’s 115,000 Australians in the broader region, 24,000 in Emirates … That volume of traffic will really need to see commercial flights resume even if only sporadically, to get people home.
‘Give us an ad break’ campaign calls for curbs on marketing of harmful products
Natasha May
The government is being urged to limit the “relentless” advertising of alcohol, gambling and unhealthy food by a new national public health campaign launched today.
The “give us an ad break” campaign is calling for the federal government to introduce “a harmful products marketing act” as one of the most important steps to improve the nation’s long-term health.
Modelled on Australia’s world-leading tobacco legislation, the law would regulate advertising of gambling, alcohol and unhealthy foods across platforms, including online, and reduce children’s exposure to ads for products linked to cancer and chronic disease.
Over 130 health organisations and leaders are behind the campaign including the Alliance for Gambling Reform, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (Fare), the Food for Health Alliance and VicHealth.
The move has strong community support, according to a nationally representative survey Fare commissioned Pureprofile to conduct in February, as four in five Australians want less advertising for gambling, alcohol and unhealthy foods.
VicHealth chief, Prof Anna Peeters, said reducing children’s exposure to harmful marketing is one of the most powerful steps the government can take to improve the nation’s long-term health.
double quotation mark Limiting advertising for alcohol, gambling and unhealthy food would significantly reduce the burden of cancer, liver disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and financial harm across the community. By reducing children’s exposure to alcohol, gambling and junk food advertising, we can prevent chronic illness before it starts and ease pressure on families and the health system.This is a practical, evidence-based opportunity for the federal government to reshape the environments our children grow up in. If we act now, we can create a future where fewer Australians experience preventable cancer and chronic disease.
Sarah Basford Canales
Parliamentary watchdog ‘does not have the power to make a real difference’, Thorpe says
Lidia Thorpe says the parliamentary watchdog is powerless to make a real difference against racism and the treatment of women after it released its first public statement last week.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission named Victorian senator Ralph Babet as having made “offensive, disrespectful and harmful” remarks in a social media post published in November 2024. The watchdog said it had sanctioned him to attend one-on-one behaviour training and agree to refrain from further similar comments but Babet had failed to comply, resulting in a public statement.
Thorpe, who was censured on the same day as Babet in the Senate for earlier protesting King Charles’s visit to Canberra, said the body’s investigation was vague and showed it “still does not have the power to make a real difference”.
Under the law, the standards umpire is able to make a public statement about an investigation if a parliamentarian fails to comply with a sanction. Where a more serious breach of the code has been committed, an IPSC decision-maker can refer the incident to a parliamentary privileges committee. That committee can impose salary fines and suspend politicians.
In a statement, Thorpe said:
double quotation mark This outcome is confusing, and the public has no real insight into how it was decided. With the way the major parties set up the IPSC to conceal deliberations, we may never know …In this first case that has been made public, it seems the only outcome was naming the senator involved. We have no way of knowing whether stronger sanctions were considered by the IPSC or the Privileges Committee, or even if the committee discussed the matter at all …
The public deserve to know how this decision was made, what role the IPSC played, what role politicians played, and why the outcome looks like this.
We warned that a closed-door process dominated by Labor and the Coalition would compromise transparency, accountability, and public confidence …
Everyone should be safe at work, and we need strong accountability processes around bad behaviour.
But this workplace still has deep problems, especially when it comes to racism and the treatment of women.
Much more needs to be done, and unfortunately the IPSC still does not have the power to make a real difference.
Read more:
Krishani Dhanji
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you, thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
We’ve got another very busy day today so let’s get straight into it!
NSW investment body backs renewable projects, two hotels, and gas pipeline
Penry Buckley
The NSW government has announced the first round of projects it is endorsing through its Investment Delivery Authority (IDA), including more than a dozen clean energy and battery storage projects, two hotels, and one gas pipeline.
The endorsements by the IDA, a body created at this year’s state budget, are not a direct investment, but provide companies with a “concierge service” to cut through red tape, including dedicated government support with planning approvals and infrastructure delivery.
The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, who is appearing before budget estimates today, says the IDA “is helping ensure major investment proposals that matter to our economy receive the attention they require”.
The 16 projects, worth a combined $34.4bn, include 13 renewable energy or battery storage sites, such as electricity and gas giant AGL’s Hunter energy hub, and wind and solar farms. They also include Hunter Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd, acquired by Santos in 2022, which owns an approved gas pipeline route from Wallumbilla in Queensland to Newcastle, passing close to Santos’ controversial Narrabri gas project.
The other endorsements are two hotel projects worth a combined $482m. One, the Vuez Eco Resort, describes itself on its website as a “future-focused eco-tourism destination on the shores of Lake Jindabyne, bringing together sustainable design, nature, and year-round alpine experiences”.
The other is a redevelopment of a heritage-listed warehouse near Sydney’s Central station that was gutted during an “apocalyptic” blaze in May 2023. The state government expects to announce data centre proposals to the IDA at a later date because of the scale of energy and water infrastructure required by the sector.
Victorian premier reveals start date for legal right to work from home
Benita Kolovos
The right to work from home two days a week will be enshrined in Victoria’s Equal Opportunity Act, the premier, Jacinta Allan, will announce today, with plans for the laws to take effect before the state election.
After announcing yesterday that the right to work from home would apply to all businesses, Allan will today confirm the government will introduce legislation to the Victorian government in July. If passed, it would take effect on 1 September.
Last year, the premier announced that her government would legislate the right to work from home two days a week for those who can “reasonably” do so. It has since become a key pillar of Labor’s re-election pitch ahead of the November poll.
At the time, she said the legal right would apply to both public and private sector workers but it was unclear how it would be enforced. This is because Victoria, like other states, transferred its industrial relations powers for private sector workers to the federal government years ago.
Allan will say today that the right to work from home will be enshrined in the Equal Opportunity Act. The act, introduced in 2010, makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on individual attributes such as age, race, sex and disability.
It is understood the government will seek to make it unlawful to discriminate against people who work from home two days a week. It would not apply to people whose roles prevent them from working from home.
Allan said in a statement:
double quotation mark Only Labor has new solutions to make life easier, safer and more affordable. That’s why we will protect work from home in law from 1 September.
Albanese talks to UAE leader about stranded Australians
Tom McIlroy
Anthony Albanese spoke last night with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates.
They discussed the situation facing stranded Australians in the Middle East.
There are about 24,000 Australians in the UAE, many stranded due to flight disruptions caused by bombings by the Iranian regime, in retaliation to weekend strikes by the US and Israel.
The two leaders were able to exchange views on the current situation in the Middle East, and Albanese thanked the president for support for Australians stranded by the conflict.
The pair also discussed the importance of the resumption of commercial flights as soon as possible.
Albanese also spoke with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon yesterday.
They exchanged views on the Middle East and discussed the consular challenges brought about by the conflict.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.
Anthony Albanese has discussed the situation facing stranded Australians in the Middle East with the president of the United Arab Emirates as many continue to seek an exit from the region engulfed in the US-Israeli war on Iran. More coming.
The government is being urged to limit the “relentless” advertising of alcohol, gambling and unhealthy food by a new national public health campaign launched today. We have more details shortly.
And the Victorian premier has announced her intention to give Victorians the legal right to two days a week of working from home by the first of September this year.
