Topics: US investigate leaked Israeli plans; Ceasefire negotiations; Australia purchases missiles from US;
0745 AEST
22 October 2024
Kenny Heatley: Joining me live is Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham. Simon, good to have you on the program. So, this information that was leaked was meant for Five Eyes partners only, which Australia is a member. How concerned are you over this intelligence leak?
Simon Birmingham: G’day, Kenny. Kenny, any leaking of intelligence or analysis of such a sensitive nature is deeply troubling. It does warrant full and careful investigation to make sure that the causes of such a leak, and how it was accessed by others, are closed off in the future, and whether this was from the result of hacking or a deliberate leak by an individual, as from my understanding of current reports, as yet unknown. But it’s important the US does undertake those steps. As you said, the reports are also that these documents were apparently shareable across the Five Eyes network. So, it’s important from an Australian perspective to understand if they were shared, if there is any exposure in terms of whether they could have been leaked from Australia, and that our government needs to make sure that any steps there are taken to give absolute confidence that it could not have emanated from out of the Australian system in any way.
Kenny Heatley: That’s important. Iran has sent a mission to the UN Security Council saying that the United States will bear full responsibility for its role in enabling acts of aggression by Israel against Iran, citing remarks by President Joe Biden in Berlin. What’s the significance of Iran going to the UN in this manner, and is it likely to achieve anything?
Simon Birmingham: Kenney, these types of claims and calls from Iran are, frankly, rank hypocrisy. Iran is the biggest destabilising force at play in the Middle East and frankly, at play almost in the world at least competing with Russia at present for that sad and sorry title. Iran’s role in supporting Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels, is all about creating chaos and dysfunction. They are clear in their desire to see Israel destroyed and, of course, to destroy the role and influence of the US across the rest of the world. And that is why we’ve been clear from a coalition perspective in Australia about the need for stronger action against Iran, that the Albanese Government should be taking the lead of Canada, the US and indeed what is being looked at in the EU as well and the UK around listing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. They should be faster in terms of the application of sanctions and other measures against the Iranian regime.
Kenny Heatley: Just quickly, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to the region to try to get talks going again on a ceasefire. What are the chances do you think of anything like that happening at this point?
Simon Birmingham: Well, I urge Hamas to release hostages and to surrender their remaining arms and terrorist capabilities, because that would achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that is so desperately needed by the Palestinian people there and could bring that conflict to an end. Equally, I urge the Lebanese authorities to engage comprehensively with Israel, with the United States, to try to achieve something that does ensure Lebanese authorities are in charge of their country and that they can work with Israel to remove that Hezbollah threat and ensure that people can live in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, with the type of security and confidence that we all wish to see them have.
Kenny Heatley: Australia will spend $7 billion over the decade to revolutionise its air and missile defence systems, announced last night by Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy in Washington. But no timeline has been given on when the long-range missiles will be deployed on our warships. What’s your thoughts on that?
Simon Birmingham: Kenny, the announcement in and of itself is welcome and achieving greater lethality, capability, long-range assets are all very welcome. There are things that the Coalition has been talking about through this course of the parliamentary term, but we’ve been calling for faster, greater, stronger action. The defence budget just hasn’t been adjusted by the Albanese government in terms of additional investments, to keep up with the rhetoric or the talk. And in relation to these commitments and this announcement, it’s not the announcement that matters. It’s how quickly they can be delivered and installed and give us that capability that matters.
Kenny Heatley: Simon Birmingham, appreciate your time. Thank you.
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