‘A line has been crossed’: Wong defends timing of Iran move
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has also been out in the media this morning, speaking to the Today show a bit earlier.
She first expressed her sympathy for the family and friends of the two Victorian police officers who were killed yesterday.
Then moving on to Iran, she says the expulsion of the ambassador and move to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organisation has been a “very substantial response”.
Asked why the government hadn’t taken this action sooner, Wong says:
We have diplomatic relationships with many countries, many of whom we don’t agree with. And the point is we have a channel for communication, to assert Australia’s interests, to deal with consular issues, to help Australians who are in trouble. So we retain diplomatic relations for Australia’s interests. I’ve said that before, but this is a line that has been crossed. These actions are unacceptable and that’s why we’ve taken [this action].
Key events
Australia needs to up its defence spending, says shadow defence minister Angus Taylor.
The Coalition has pushed for the government to increase its defence investment, particularly following pressure from the Trump administration on all nations to lift their defence spending. During the election, the Coalition promised it would spend 3% of GDP on defence if it won government.
Taylor says spending must reach 3% of GDP to be able to pay for Aukus, and points out that Anthony Albanese hasn’t met with Donald Trump, at a time when the US is still reviewing the defence pact.
As my colleague, Tom McIlroy brought you a moment ago, defence minister Richard Marles has met with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth in Washington, where Aukus would have no doubt been high on the agenda.
The government has committed to increasing spending to 2.4% of GDP, by 2033-34, but Taylor tells Sky News it should go further.
It’s nowhere near what is necessary. It’s not even close, no one thinks it’s close… they [Labor] are living in the sort of la la land of rhetoric, not readiness. We need to have the readiness, the agility. We need to have the sovereign capability.
Tony Burke asked who his favourite celebrity couple is
On a much lighter note (because we all need a little bit of pop culture in our lives), Tony Burke was asked on ABC News Breakfast earlier this morning about the engagement of Taylor Swift.
If you haven’t seen the pics, there is a very large diamond on that finger, courtesy of now-fiance Travis Kelce.
The ABC hosts ask Burke whether he’s got a favourite celebrity couple – a difficult question for anyone, to be fair.
Burke, clearly very taken aback, says he feels like a “bad arts minister” and chuckles, before giving us a very safe answer of:
Not strictly celebrities, but I’ll stick with Albo and Jodie – that’s probably the safest answer!
Richard Marles met with senior Trump officials, including US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth
Tom McIlroy
The defence minister, Richard Marles, has met with senior Trump administration officials overnight, including the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth.
There was speculation on Tuesday Marles might not meet Hegseth while in Washington this week. He posted photos including the vice president, JD Vance.
So far neither Labor nor the White House have detailed what took place in the meeting. It comes as the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, seeks a meeting with the US president, Donald Trump.
Marles said he reaffirmed ties between the US and Australia.
“The Alliance between Australia and the United States is longstanding, built on our shared history of deep collaboration,” he posted on social media.
The Alliance between Australia and the United States is longstanding, built on our shared history of deep collaboration.
I was pleased to have the opportunity to reaffirm Australia’s commitment to building on this partnership with US @VP JD Vance and Secretary of Defense… pic.twitter.com/lZfR7NBFOx
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) August 26, 2025
Michaelia Cash says Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps should be listed as terrorist organisation
The shadow foreign minister, Michaelia Cash, says the government should bring on legislation to change the criminal code to allow the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be listed as a terrorist organisation today.
Tony Burke revealed yesterday the code would have to be amended to allow the IRGC to be listed – currently listings under the code only apply to non-state actors.
On Sunrise earlier, on a panel with Clare O’Neil, Cash was scathing in her criticism of the Albanese government, and said her party had demanded this action for two and a half years.
That is a pathetic response, Clare, two-and-a-half years ago we could’ve stood together and listed this organisation.
Penny Wong, Mark Dreyfus, Clare O’Neil, you were warned. The Coalition, the Iranian community here in Australia, told you this. This is the letter and you said no. You have some serious explaining to do today.
O’Neil said Cash’s accusations were a “rude and unworthy performance”.
Josh Butler
‘We have confidence in Asio assessments,’ says Wong
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has declined to say exactly what evidence Asio presented to make the assessment that Iran had directed some antisemitic attacks in Australia, but said the government had confidence in its security agencies.
After a round of interviews this morning, Wong gave a brief doorstop in the Parliament House corridors. She said there were no Australian diplomatic staff left in Iran, and reiterated “do not travel” warnings for Australians thinking about going to the country, as well as urging people to come home if they were already in Iran.
Wong said she believed there were between 200 and 400 Australians currently in Iran.
Asked what evidence the government had seen which informed the investigations and assessments of Asio to declare Iran as behind the attacks, Wong said she couldn’t comment.
We have confidence in Asio assessments. We have confidence in our security agencies, and we have acted on it, on their assessments. And I refer you to the answers from the director general yesterday.
Asked why Australia was targeted in this way, Wong said Iran had engaged in foreign interference around the world.
What is different about this … is this is orchestration of a violent attack. Obviously, we will continue to investigate the these sorts of issues, the reasons behind as well as the other lines of inquiry.
But I would make this point, this is unacceptable. We have diplomatic relations with countries with whom we don’t agree. We do that for our interests, but to have a foreign country organise a violent action on Australian soil crosses a line.
Burke rejects Iranian claim moves made to appease Irael
Earlier on ABC AM, the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, rejected Israel claiming some credit for the move on Iran, saying his assessment of Anthony Albanese as “weak” led to the action.
Burke said that was “complete nonsense”.
There was not a minute between us receiving this assessment and us starting to work through what we would do as a response.
Burke, like Penny Wong earlier, also dismissed Iran’s claim that the decision was taken to appease Israel.
We’ve taken this action because Iran has attacked Australians. No other country is involved in terms of that conclusion.
Hastie says he was ‘always keen to list’ IRGC
While the Coalition has said it’s been calling for the IRGC to be listed as a terrorist organisation since 2023, host Sally Sara asks Andrew Hastie why the Coalition didn’t take that action before that time when it was in government.
Wong was critical a bit earlier, in saying that the Coalition didn’t increase sanctions on the IRGC during its three terms.
Hastie says he was “keen to list it” when he was chair of the intelligence committee and had discussions with other members of the committee, including Labor members who were also supportive of listing it.
So why didn’t it happen? Hastie says:
I was always keen to list it. That’s for whoever was in government then to explain.
We put it through the right channels, but nonetheless, here we are now …
Asked to clarify what the “right channels were”, Hastie says:
I had a number of ministers who had a direct interest in the work of the committee, from home affairs, foreign affairs, defence, and so on. Anyone who sat on the national security committee of cabinet had an interest in what we did on the committee. It wasn’t listed, but here we are, the world has changed.
Sovereign citizen movement ‘a worrying development’, Hastie says
Following Penny Wong, the shadow home affairs spokesperson, Andrew Hastie, joins ABC RN Breakfast.
He’s asked about the sovereign citizens movement, which the prime minister has said is an ideology that poses real concern.
Hastie says there’s been a breakdown in trust for governments – state and federal – since the Covid pandemic.
There’s more misinformation and disinformation out there. A lot of people went down the rabbit hole during Covid and they never came back up, and so it’s a real risk that some of them are radicalised.
These sovereign citizens, it’s a worrying development … I think law enforcement and intelligence agencies have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks and months.
Hastie says it’s also up to the government to make the case for Australia’s values “as a democracy” and promote the rule of law.
Sussan Ley pays tribute to slain Porepunkah police officers
Josh Butler
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has paid tribute to two police officers killed at Porepunkah yesterday. She called the shooting “a heartbreaking tragedy that has touched every Australian”.
“These officers gave their lives protecting their community, and our nation grieves deeply with their families, friends and colleagues. This loss is a solemn reminder of the dangers police face each day and the extraordinary courage it takes to serve,” Ley said in a statement.
To every officer who wears the uniform, you carry our respect and our gratitude.
Ley also spoke of the detective who was left injured, and other police responding to the incident in the rural Victorian town.
In this moment of profound sadness, Australians stand shoulder to shoulder with Victoria Police. We will honour those who have fallen and never take for granted the courage and service that keeps our communities safe.
Wong rejects Coalition criticism over timing of IRGC terror listing
The Coalition has welcomed the government’s announcements yesterday to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and expel the Iranian ambassador, but said it should have been done sooner.
Sally Sara asks Wong why the government didn’t do so, and puts to her criticism from shadow foreign affairs spokesperson, Michaelia Cash.
The IRGC has been sanctioned by Australia for many years. We took stronger action against the IRGC than she ever took when she was part of the Coalition government for nine years, including as attorney general. She did not put a single new sanction on the IRGC. They stood by while Iran was elected to the UN body dealing with discrimination against women.
Iran has accused Australia of taking this action to “appease” Israel – asked whether this is the case, Wong says the government “acts in Australia’s interests”.
Iran regime ‘unpredictable’, Wong says
Iran has vowed to take “reciprocal action” after the Australian government expelled its ambassador, in response to evidence from Asio that Iran was allegedly behind two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil.
Penny Wong has now joined ABC RN Breakfast, and is asked whether Australia expects retaliatory action from Iran.
Wong says she’s seen the Iranian foreign affairs minister’s comments rejecting accusation of Iran’s involvement.
The Iranian regime is an unpredictable regime, a regime which we have seen is capable of aggression and violence. We took steps before this was made public to remove all Australian personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Tehran, and we did so because our first priority is to keep our people safe.
Host Sally Sara asks Wong how many Australians are still in Iran. Wong says the country has been under a “do not travel” status and urges anyone still there to come home – she doesn’t provide a figure on how many Australians are currently there.
‘A line has been crossed’: Wong defends timing of Iran move
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has also been out in the media this morning, speaking to the Today show a bit earlier.
She first expressed her sympathy for the family and friends of the two Victorian police officers who were killed yesterday.
Then moving on to Iran, she says the expulsion of the ambassador and move to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organisation has been a “very substantial response”.
Asked why the government hadn’t taken this action sooner, Wong says:
We have diplomatic relationships with many countries, many of whom we don’t agree with. And the point is we have a channel for communication, to assert Australia’s interests, to deal with consular issues, to help Australians who are in trouble. So we retain diplomatic relations for Australia’s interests. I’ve said that before, but this is a line that has been crossed. These actions are unacceptable and that’s why we’ve taken [this action].
Iran ambassador expulsion ‘sends the right message’, Andrew Hastie says
Shadow home affairs spokesperson, Andrew Hastie, says expelling the Iranian ambassador sends the “right message” to the Iran, but the government should have done it sooner.
On ABC News Breakfast, Hastie says the Coalition has called for the expulsion of the ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, about 10 times since 2023, but yesterday’s decision marks a “red line” for any foreign power that Australia “does not tolerate this sort of thing”.
Yesterday’s decision was a good one, it was backed up by forensic intelligence by Asio and other partners, it draws a red line in the ground for any country who could consider conducting foreign interference, espionage, even targeted killings on our soil. It’s worth reminding your viewers that people could have died in the Adass firebombing. It’s a very fine line between sabotage or burning a building and actually killing people.
Slain police officers will be named after families contacted, Victorian premier says
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says the gunman who allegedly killed two police officers and has left another wounded in hospital, is still at large.
Speaking to Sunrise a bit earlier, Allan said police are using all resources to find them.
Every police resource continues overnight to be dedicated to finding this criminal who perpetrated such a horrific act on members of the Victoria police force who go to work every day to keep our community safe …
Yesterday was such a tragic day for our state and also, too, we should remember all of the members of the policing family, not just here in Victoria but around the country, will be just feeling such great grief and loss as a result of what occurred yesterday.
Asked when the government or Victorian police will name the slain officers, Allan says further details will be provided, but they want to speak to the families of those officers first.
Wanting to ensure that members of the family, the next of kin, members of the family of those fallen officers have the opportunity to hear the news directly and have the time to consider what is just the most unimaginable grief that they would be experiencing.
On the injured officer in hospital, Allan says she’ll leave any updates on their condition to the Victorian police.
Porepunkah deaths an ‘unfathomable tragedy’, Clare O’Neil says
Cabinet minister Clare O’Neil has called the shooting of police officers in Victoria an “unfathomable tragedy”.
Speaking to Sunrise a bit earlier, the MP from Melbourne said the event should never have happened.
To have two police officers valiantly put themselves in the way of danger, not just to protect our broader Victorian community but to protect children and our community, and to see them lose their lives in this way is terrible. I know incidents like this affect every single police officer and their family around the country, so can I say on behalf of the Australian government how deeply grateful we are for the incredible work of our police forces.
O’Neil was joined by shadow foreign affairs spokesperson, Michaelia Cash, on the Sunrise panel, and said she was heartbroken.
We are safe because there are Australians, police officers and others, who are prepared to put their lives on the line each and every day so that we can be so. Two of those officers have now paid the highest price, one is in hospital. On behalf of the Coalition, we are heartbroken for those families, we are heartbroken for the community, but more than that, [is] a clear message to the police across Australia and in particular, those wearing the blue uniform in Victoria, we stand with you.
Burke declines to say whether Porepunkah suspect on Asio radar
Burke is also asked about the Porepunkah shooting in Victoria, and asked whether a suspect was on the radar of Asio or the federal police.
The home affairs minister says the investigation is being led by Victoria, but the AFP and Asio are assisting.
Burke won’t reveal whether the alleged suspect was on the spy agency’s radar.
Host James Glenday also asks how much of a threat the so-called sovereign citizens movement poses.
Burke won’t draw a link between the movement and the current investigation, but says the laws apply to everyone.
Any ideology – and this [sovereign citizens] is one of them – that somehow comes up with a bizarre conclusion that allows people to say that the law doesn’t apply to them – that creates this problem, and the other thing I’d say – when we raise the terror alert level from possible to probable last year, Mike Burgess was quite specific about the fact we were now dealing with mixed ideologies.
