Key events
Foreign 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 onto 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 a 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, to help Australians who are in trouble. So we retain diplomatic relations for, 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].
Shadow home affairs minister, Andrew Hastie, says expelling the Iranian ambassador sends the “right message” to the Iran, but that the government should have done it sooner.
On ABC News Breakfast, Hastie says the Coalition has called for the ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi’s expulsion about ten times since 2023, but yesterday’s decision has drawn a red line for any foreign or authoritarian 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 fire bombing. 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.
‘No reason to believe’ attack perpetrators knew Iran allegedly directing them, Burke says
We’re getting a bit more clarity this morning about how the two antisemitic attacks allegedly directed by the IRGC took place.
Yesterday, the Asio director-general, Mike Burgess, spoke about the involvement of “cut-outs”.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is on ABC News Breakfast and says he won’t go beyond what was said, but explains what cut-outs actually are:
“Cut-outs” is a term used in the intelligence community that refers to intermediaries who are there to effectively make sure that, as you go down the chain, people don’t realise who was higher up the chain.
Host James Glenday asks Burke whether that means some of the criminals involved might not have known they were being paid by Iran. Burke says:
The language from the director general yesterday was very deliberate. We have no reason to believe that the people who were actually conducting the actions had any idea who had started it.
That doesn’t change the seriousness from the Australian government’s point of view that Iran was still involved in directing attacks on Australian soil.
Good morning
Krishani Dhanji
Krishani Dhanji here with you – many thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
There is plenty of reaction this morning to yesterday’s revelations that Asio has evidence of Iran’s involvement in two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
A very quick recap here: Asio said it had credible evidence the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed two attacks, and could be behind more. The government will now move to list the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, and has expelled the Iranian ambassador and embassy staff.
Tony Burke, the home affairs minister, is doing the media rounds this morning to discuss the issue further, and has been emphasising that the attack on the Jewish community and an attack on Australia’s cohesion is an attack on the whole nation.
We’ll be following the issue closely, so stick with us!
Caitlin Cassidy
Changes to humanities fees remain ‘inherently unfair’, Universities Australia chair says
Carolyn Evans will also call for the federal government to acknowledge the importance of humanities and social sciences for future productivity, including setting “new and fairer fees for students”.
Changes to student fees under the job-ready graduates package were, and remain, inherently unfair. From the introduction of the JRG until 2023, domestic undergraduate enrolments declined 6% for medium and high SES [socioeconomic status] students but 12% for low SES students.
Evans will suggest the federal government eliminate the highest level of student contribution, now set at about $17,000 a year for arts degrees, and replace it with the second highest tier.
This would theoretically cost $770m a year but it is giving money back to students at a time they need it most. Besides, some of this debt is unlikely to be repaid anyway. It would be a serious downpayment on a fairer funding system for students, helping open the door to university for more Australians.
‘All Australians are mourning’ slain Victorian police officers, PM says
Last night Anthony Albanese said all Australian are mourning the two police officers shot dead in Victoria yesterday.
The prime minister said in a post on X that “or hearts go out” to the two officers’ loved ones and that it was a reminder of the gratitude owed by Australians to the police for their service.
All Australians are mourning with the families, loved ones and colleagues of the two Victoria Police officers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty.
Our nation’s condolences are with everyone whose world has been shattered by this horrific shooting.
While we can…
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 26, 2025
Far-right extremists who believe they are above the law a ‘real concern’, Albanese says
Albanese was also asked about the Porepunkah shootings during his appearance on 7.30. The interviewer put to him that there was an alleged link to what’s known as the sovereign citizen ideology.
The prime minister responded “of course these are just allegations that have been made”.
He added that Australia’s security intelligence had warned about “far-right extremism” permeating other nations.
“The fact that this ideology of not seeing themselves being subject to our laws and our society … is of real concern, and Asio have warned that this threat is very real, and that we need to be very vigilant about it,” he said.
Marles meets Vance and Hegseth in Washington DC
There has been speculation over whether the deputy PM and defence minister, Richard Marles, would secure a meeting with his US counterparts on his current visit to Washington DC.
Well, according to pictures posted earlier this morning on social media, he did.
Marles was pictured with both the vice-president, JD Vance, and defence secretary Pete Hegseth. He wrote on X:
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 @PeteHegseth in Washington D.C. today.
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
Australia yesterday declared Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi “persona non grata” and ordered him and three other officials to leave the country within seven days.
Last night, some embassy occupants were pictured leaving in a black car.
Caitlin Cassidy
Universities Australia chair says sector will ‘struggle with public trust’ if it does not address issues
The chair of Universities Australia, Prof Carolyn Evans will say the higher education sector must “overcome our shortcomings” to regain public trust.
In an address to the National Press Club today, Evans will note that issues of governance are being raised in various government quarters, including through an expert council, while warning only the “negatives” and “reductive arguments” are being pushed forward in the public domain.
We have already seen changes to governance arrangements emerging with chancellors and vice-chancellors recognising the need for more transparency and public benchmarking of remuneration.
If we as a sector are not prepared to recognise, accept and work to overcome our shortcomings, I accept that we will struggle with public trust. But I would also add, that if we as a society only focus on the shortcomings of universities, we will miss the opportunity to work with the higher education sector to drive better results for all Australians.
Albanese says Iran-backed attacks on “another level”
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has confirmed that Asio found “clear evidence” directly linking individuals in Iran to alleged antisemitic attacks in Australia.
Speaking on 7.30 last night, Albanese said Asio had determined Iran had orchestrated attacks on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne. Iran was possibly behind other attacks, he said.
“[Asio] were able to find clear evidence going back to individuals … and were very specific.”
Albanese was asked if Canberra would sanction those individuals, but he would only say: “We’ll take whatever action is appropriate.”
He described the Iran-backed attacks as on “another level”.
This is foreign action and foreign violence being committed against Australians funded, and using criminal elements here.
Albanese said Australian embassy staff were rushed out of Iran before Tuesday’s stunning announcement as he feared “they would be at risk” if the development was leaked.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.
Iran has vowed to hit back at Australia after the expulsion yesterday of the country’s ambassador to Canberra, and accusations of Tehran was behind antisemitic attacks in Australia last year. Anthony Albanese told the ABC’s 7.30 last night that Asio had found “clear evidence” directly linking individuals in Iran to the attacks. More coming up.
The prime minister also spoke about the risk that Asio has identified around the spread of far-right extremism and the so-called sovereign citizen ideology.
Meanwhile, the deputy PM, Richard Marles, has posted social media photos of high-level meetings with his US counterparts JD Vance and Pete Hegseth. More on that too in a moment.