RAAF planes land in Dubai ahead of repatriation flight from Israel
Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) planes are now in the Middle East after landing in Dubai ahead of repatriation flights for Australians stuck in Israel.
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West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Michaelia Cash: Australia must stand up for its interests in the wake of US Iran strikes
The old adage that 'a week is a long time in politics' has been starkly demonstrated as an enduring truth with the significant world events that have unfolded recently. Israel has further exercised its sovereign right to defend its people and ensure the security of future generations. The Unites States strongly backed Israel with a series of precision strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. It appears the US strikes will end Iran's nuclear capacity for now. The Coalition supports actions taken by the US to ensure that the Iranian regime is stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons. We can never allow the Iranian regime the capacity to enact its objectives of the destruction of the US and Israel. The world can never accept a nuclear-armed Iran and acting now to ensure that is the case is the right thing to do. These events are a long way from Australia but have implications for us and the rest of the world. President Donald Trump left the G7 meeting in Canada early to deal with the situation in the Middle East. For Australia this meant a planned meeting between the President and our Prime Minister on the sidelines of the G7 was cancelled. Given the situation in the Middle East, the decision by the President to cancel the meeting is completely understandable but to the detriment of Australia. This was an important opportunity for the Prime Minister to seek assurances on AUKUS and protect Australia from tariffs. Given global volatility and the growing list of issues in our relationship with the US, this underscores that the Prime Minister should not have merely relied on meeting with the President on the sidelines of international summits. The Prime Minister should have been more proactive in seeking to strengthen this relationship — Australia's most important — and we encourage him to change his approach to advance our national interest. As Australians we must step up our engagement across the board with the US. President Trump won the US election more than 200 days ago and has held meetings with leaders from the UK, Canada, Germany, Ireland, France, Japan, Norway and South Africa. Our Prime Minister has only spoken to the President on the phone. On the international stage, Australia needs its leader to stand up for our interests so we can build a stronger Australian economy. President Trump's tariffs on our steelmakers are not in the spirit of our century-old partnership, nor in line with our 20-year-old free trade agreement. We urge the US administration to give Australia a fair go and remove the tariffs, as they have done for the UK. And we urge the Albanese Government not to compromise on policies that ensure affordable healthcare, bio-security, and a fair economic landscape for Australian businesses and families. It must not sell out our Australian farmers and producers. Success can not be achieved through putting our world-class agriculture at risk. In regard to AUKUS, the Coalition put it in place and we want it to succeed. But the fact AUKUS is under review by the Pentagon is concerning because any delay or downgrade in the US commitment will impact our future defence capability. The Prime Minister must seek assurances from President Trump to safeguard the AUKUS agreement. AUKUS is the most important strategic initiative Australia has entered into in decades. It provides the nuclear-powered submarines and technological edge we need to deter conflict and defend our sovereignty in a more contested Indo-Pacific. This is not business as usual. The Prime Minister cannot afford to be a bystander in our relationship with the US. Anthony Albanese must put Australia's case clearly and secure the commitments we were promised. We will always support bipartisan co-operation on national security, but that co-operation cannot mask inaction from the Government. The Coalition wants the Government to succeed here because that is in our national interest. Michaelia Cash is the shadow minister for foreign affairs
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Gobsmacked by the level of amateurishness': Liberal Senator Dave Sharma calls out Albanese government's initial response to US strikes against Iran
Liberal Senator and Australia's former ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma, has called out the Albanese government's reaction to United States strikes on Iran, saying he was 'gobsmacked' by the response. Following the strikes authorised by the Trump administration on Sunday, the government's initial response came via a statement, issued by a spokesperson, which did not overtly express support for the move. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese then confirmed a day after the US action he did support efforts which prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Senator Sharma expressed dismay over the initial statement provided, saying he thought it was 'very likely' the Albanese government was pressured by the US to publicly back a move conducted by an ally of Australia. 'I was gobsmacked by the level of amateurishness shown by the government yesterday to not have anyone significant front the media, to put out a bland, anodyne statement which said nothing, attributable to only a government spokesperson,' he told Sky News host Chris Kenny on Monday. He said the Australian public are 'rightly looking' to the government for the country's official stance on the conflict and what the US move means for Australians in the region. 'The government was absent from the field. I mean it's amateurish,' Senator Sharma said. The Senator said he imagined Washington may have began asking questions of Canberra following the Albanese government's initial response. Mr Albanese on Monday maintained the statement issued earlier was appropriate. 'The world has long agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon, and we support action to prevent that — that is what this is,' he said at Parliament House in Canberra. 'The US action was directed at specific sites central to Iran's nuclear program. We don't want escalation and a full-scale war. Meanwhile, Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said Australia's official backing of the US's action against Iran's nuclear program is 'better late than never, obviously'. Speaking from Tel Aviv shortly before a warning siren began blaring, Ms Haskel told Sky News on Monday evening Australia remains a 'close ally' of Israel. 'There's a very close friendship and I think that these are historical times, and it's important to act. Not just words, but actions are more important,' Ms Haskel said. Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister continued talking to Sky News host Chris Kenny while her and many others made their way to a bomb shelter located inside a synagogue after sirens indicating incoming Iranian strikes were activated. 'As you can see, live, this is our bombing shelter. We have many people here who have been hiding in order to keep safe from the missile attack. This is Iran targeting civilian populations directly,' Ms Haskel said.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Expert's advice to motorists concerned that petrol prices will surge
Australian motorists worried about tensions in the Middle East affecting prices at the pump have been sent a clear message: 'Fill up now.' US President Donald Trump's administration carried out an attack on three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday. It comes after Israel launched attacks on Iran earlier this month. Oil prices are expected to rise as a result of the escalation in conflict, however experts have spoken out to ease fears of immediate surges. 'It's really important for Australians today to understand that what we have seen again over the weekend, while it is another escalation above and beyond the escalation we saw the weekend before it, this is the Middle East,' NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said. 'Unfortunately, flare-ups are all too often and all too common.' The regional benchmark for oil in Australia, Tapis, is expected to increase in price by tonight, Khoury said. 'We don't know by how much,' he said. Based on what we're seeing out of the US, it could be $3 or $4 a barrel.' A possible way for Iran to retaliate against the US and Israel is to close off the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a vital trade route used to transport 20 per cent of the world's crude oil, or about 20 million barrels per day. The Iranian parliament has backed closing the strait in response to the US attacks, though this must be approved by Iran's national security council. Oil prices could shoot above $100 per barrel if the strait is closed for a prolonged period, according to Goldman Sachs and consulting firm Rapidan Energy. JPMorgan analysts view the risk of Iran closing Hormuz as low because the US would view such a move as a declaration of war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to help prevent Iran from closing the strait. Rubio said it would be 'economic suicide' for Iran to close the strait because the Islamic Republic's oil exports also pass through the waterway. Currently, it remains open. Khoury said this is 'the most important thing'. 'We do not want Australians panicking,' he said. 'Yes, there is speculation about what could happen in the next days and weeks, but it is the Middle East and anything can happen. 'The other important thing for Australians to know tonight is that if you live in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth, fill up now.' A combination of prices being at or near the bottom of the cycle and turmoil in the Middle East mean now is the time to buy. 'Prices are either in the high $1.60s or in the low $1.70s,' Khoury said. 'That has everything to do with the domestic price cycles in those capital cities. 'The wholesale price in Australia has gone up about eight cents a litre since two Fridays ago when the escalation really flared up between Israel and Iran. 'It will go up again, is the expectation, based on the US decision to attack Iran over the weekend. 'But it's only gone up eight cents a litre in the last week and a bit. 'There's a lot of speculation about what could happen. It's really important that Australians focus on what is happening. 'And what is happening if you live in those bigger cities is that prices are pretty good.' NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury has urged Australian motorists not to panic, but to fill up now for the cheapest petrol prices. Credit: 7NEWS Khoury advised motorists to check fuel prices near them and find the best deal. 'You can find some real bargains,' he said. 'On any given day, there can be huge gaps in the price of the cheapest service station and the price of the most expensive. 'In Sydney today, it's 70 cents a litre. 'Regardless of what's going on in the Middle East or anywhere else, and regardless of where we are in the price cycle, do your research, use the information that you have access to that motorists in other countries don't have. 'We fought hard to get that made public. It's there for you to use.' When asked when the conflict overseas will affect local prices, Khoury said it normally takes about seven to 10 days. Our service stations are yet to buy the more expensive barrels but when that happens, it will have a flow on effect. 'The NRMA will be monitoring those prices really carefully over the next days and weeks, because what we won't tolerate, obviously, is oil companies manipulating what's going on overseas to put their prices up any higher than they should go,' he said. Khoury also emphasised that even if the strait is closed, it would not create a similar crisis to those caused by other recent global conflicts. 'In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, Russia being the second-largest producer of oil,' he said. 'That created an initial shock.' 'Obviously, the world was going to enforce sanctions, and they did. That created an even bigger shock. 'At the same time that that happened, the COVID supply crisis that affected the whole world hit its peak. So we all came out of COVID lockdown at the same time. 'The whole world came out of lockdown at the same time. Demand for oil spiked. Supply could not keep up. So we had probably the worst supply issue or challenge in our lifetime. 'And then Russia invaded Ukraine. 'All of those things had to happen at the same time for Tapis, our regional oil price, to hit $133 a barrel. 'It's currently at $76 a barrel. 'So to get back to those record high prices that we saw back in 2022, you would need a catastrophe at that level to affect global supply. 'We're not there yet, clearly, based on oil prices and the wholesale price. 'And I think that's what we want Australians to focus on tonight.' -With NBC
