Australia politics live: Iranian women’s football squad member changes mind on asylum offer; embassies and consulate in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Tel Aviv closed

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Home affairs minister says one Iranian footballer has changed her mind on asylum

Tony Burke, during a dixer, has given an update to the House and said one of the two Iranian squad members provided with a humanitarian visa changed her mind and contacted the Iranian embassy.

The home affairs minister said he was advised shortly after 10am this morning that she had spoken to some of the teammates who had left, but that in contacting the embassy, gave away the team’s location to the embassy.

Burke says as soon as he was advised, the government and department then arranged for the rest of the team to be moved safely, and he says that’s been “dealt with”.

double quotation markIn Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. So, we respect the context in which she has made that decision.

Unfortunately, in making that decision, she had been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and get collected … As a result of that, it meant that the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was.

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Updated at 23.28 EDT

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‘Patently absurd’ to say there isn’t a fuel supply problem: Joyce

Over to the crossbench and it’s One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce who now says that it’s “patently absurd” to say that there’s not a fuel shortage issue in the regions and asks how quickly the government can meet with independent distributors and the ACCC to fix the issue.

The treasurer Jim Chalmers says he doesn’t need Joyce’s help to consult with the ACCC and that they’ve been talking constantly.

He says the government has just announced increased penalties that the consumer watchdog can now use for unscrupulous players taking advantage of the fuel panic.

double quotation markWe are taking additional action to help consumers get a fair go at the with more scrutiny and surveillance of the fuel sector, bigger penalties for misconduct and action to shore up fuel supply.

Joyce tries to make a point of order, but that doesn’t fly with Milton Dick. Chalmers adds that Bowen has also been meeting with independent suppliers.

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Embassies and consultate in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Tel Aviv physically closed

Sarah Basford Canales

Over in Senate question time, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has confirmed embassies in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and the consulate in Dubai all physically closed in the last week.

Wong said the government’s number one priority is to “keep Australians safe at home and abroad”.

She continued:

double quotation markThe dangerous and destabilising attacks by Iran put civilian lives at risk, including Australian lives.

More than 3,200 Australians over 23 commercial flights have returned to Australia since the US and Israel attacked Iran, setting off a regional conflict and grounding thousands of international flights.

Wong criticised Nationals senators for “winding up people and stoking fear” to panic buy fuel.

The senator said:

double quotation markPetrol companies are telling us that fuel stock continues to arrive as expected and on time but there has been a large change in the pattern of demand and that is having an effect on the supply, particularly in regional communities. We have seen jerry cans coming off the shelves at Bunnings and lines at the pump.

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Updated at 23.57 EDT

Coalition keeps up the pressure on Bowen on fuel shortages

Staying on fuel supply issues, Liberal MP Tom Venning says some in the town of Kwinana have been blocked from getting fuel, and asks when they will be able to access it.

Chris Bowen gets up again and quotes a statement by the Australian Institute of Petroleum which said, “Over the last week, members have been hit by a sudden rush to buy fuel. In some suppliers have customers buying four times their usual volume of fuel.”

The opposition tries to make a point of order but before Dan Tehan can say anything Milton Dick tells him to sit down.

Bowen again warns the opposition not to use an international crisis as a political opportunity.

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Updated at 23.58 EDT

Bowen says increased penalties in place for exploiting fuel supply shortages

Nationals MP Alison Penfold is next – focusing again on fuel shortages – and says a family in her electorate who run two timber mills and a fleet of freight trucks have seen their daily fuel costs increase by $7800 in one week.

The energy minister, Chris Bowen, says again that he acknowledges the supply chain pressures being felt in regional areas, but that it’s a demand issue not a supply issue, and warns “we’ve been very clear that no-one in the fuel supply chain should seek business or economic benefit out of that.”

double quotation markToday the Treasurer and I have worked very closely together with the ACCC to ensure that ACCC penalties are increased … if anyone is trying to exploit that situation for their own financial gain.

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Opposition ‘undermining national interest’ in asking about fuel shortages

Liberal MP, Melissa Price, gets the next question and asks about fuel shortages facing regional communities.

Chris Bowen is back at the dispatch box and says that the “responsible truth” is to tell Australians that Australia’s fuel supply is secure.

Bowen concedes that some regions are facing supply chain issues, but that it’s from an increase in demand rather than a dip in supply.

double quotation markWhen honourable members opposite question Australia’s supply, our fuel supply is secure, they are undermining the national interest. Our fuel supply is secure. You are trying to make it worse.

The opposition tries to make another point of order, but once again it goes nowhere, and Milton Dick tells Bowen to stay relevant.

Bowen finishes with another swipe to the Coalition:

double quotation markWhen faced with an international crisis, it is not an economic opportunity, a business opportunity and nor a political opportunity. [There is] a responsibility to work together, government and industry and where possible, government and opposition and as I said, if the opposition has a construction suggestion, I will listen to it.

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Updated at 23.41 EDT

Bowen questioned by crossbench on fuel supplies

Independent MP for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie gets the call next from the crossbench and asks the energy minister what the government is doing to shore up fuel supplies and stabilise supply chains in regional communities.

Minister Chris Bowen says Sharkie is right that pressures on domestic supply chains are increasing:

double quotation markI can tell the honourable member that demand in the Adelaide terminal increased 139% which is putting pressure on supply chains.

Bowen says the government is working closely with the consumer watchdog to increase penalties, watch for price spikes and ensure supplies are going to regional areas.

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Updated at 23.39 EDT

Home affairs minister says one Iranian footballer has changed her mind on asylum

Tony Burke, during a dixer, has given an update to the House and said one of the two Iranian squad members provided with a humanitarian visa changed her mind and contacted the Iranian embassy.

The home affairs minister said he was advised shortly after 10am this morning that she had spoken to some of the teammates who had left, but that in contacting the embassy, gave away the team’s location to the embassy.

Burke says as soon as he was advised, the government and department then arranged for the rest of the team to be moved safely, and he says that’s been “dealt with”.

double quotation markIn Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. So, we respect the context in which she has made that decision.

Unfortunately, in making that decision, she had been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and get collected … As a result of that, it meant that the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was.

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Updated at 23.28 EDT

‘Sing a song!’ Ed Husic gets kicked out

Before shadow treasurer Tim Wilson can even begin his question, former frontbencher Ed Husic shouts out “sing a song” (referring to his rendition of Billy Joel’s “we didn’t start the fire”).

Milton Dick, as we all know, does not love it when interjections are made before or while questions are asked and promptly tells him to leave the chamber. “Seriously?!” shouts Husic as he leaves.

Back to Wilson, he asks the prime minister if he will apologise to struggling mortgage holders as they face another two rate rises this year.

Jim Chalmers takes the call and says Wilson has nerve asking about the interest rates when a few days into his gig he “called for the end of the Reserve Bank’s dual mandate.” (you can read more about that here).

double quotation markSo if he wants to ask me about interest rates, then he should fess up and tell the Australian people he wants higher interest rates and higher unemployment at the same time.

The opposition tries to make a point of order (the second one so far) but they don’t get anywhere.

Chalmers continues and says the conflict in the Middle East makes the fight against inflation harder, but the work by the government is being done.

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Updated at 23.22 EDT

It’s question time

Angus Taylor starts says the government has been caught unprepared for fuel and energy shortages, as the country faces rising inflation. Taylor asks if the government will concede that Australia’s living standards have dropped.

Anthony Albanese immediately replies, “the Leader of the Opposition appears to want completely dismiss the fact that there is a war going on.”

double quotation markI would have thought the last few months might have taught the Liberal Party and Coalition that trying to turn everything into a political opportunity doesn’t end well.

Dan Tehan tries to make a point of order on relevance, saying “this is serious”, which leads the Labor benches to erupt with laughter.

Yesterday Milton Dick threatened to revoke the opposition’s ability to make points of order if they were too “frivolous”.

Albanese accuses the opposition of trying to whip up panic.

double quotation markRight now it is a fact that we have as much fuel coming through our ports as we did before the war began, as simple as that. For the Opposition to whip up panic about this does not serve Australians, it only lets people off who want to rip people off at this time.

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Updated at 23.10 EDT

NACC findings ‘should not have taken this long’: Haines

Independent MP Helen Haines has also welcomed the national anti-corruption commission’s findings but says the fact that it took a second investigation to make the findings against six individuals highlights the “importance of scrutiny and transparency in the work of the NACC.”

Haines, who has been a longstanding advocate for an independent federal anti-corruption commission, says these findings may never have come out without sustained public pressure for the NACC to do more.

double quotation markIt should not have taken this long. The fact a second investigation was required highlights the importance of scrutiny and transparency in the work of the NACC.

The Commission itself has acknowledged that the threshold for public hearings - the ‘exceptional circumstances’ test - is not clearly defined, and that is a problem. These are difficult issues, and they go to the heart of public trust in our integrity institutions.

For anyone wondering where Haines is this week – she hasn’t been in the chamber – she’s put out a statement she’s been given medical advice to stay home.

In a statement on social media she wrote:

double quotation markOver the past month I’ve been managing an illness which has interrupted my usually busy schedule. On medical advice, I’m not attending parliament this week – the first sitting week I’ve missed since being elected.

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Updated at 22.40 EDT

Taylor congratulates Canavan on leadership win

Angus Taylor has responded to the Nats’ leadership ballot this morning, congratulating Matt Canavan and his deputy, Darren Chester, saying he knows the “conviction” the pair will bring for the Australians they represent.

In a statement, Taylor says Canavan and Chester will provide “strong leadership” for the Nationals.

double quotation markThe partnership between the Nationals and Liberals has always been built on shared values and a deep belief in the Australian way of life.

Under former leader, David Littleproud, the Liberals and Nationals split twice.

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