Australia is sending crisis consular support teams to the Middle East to help the thousands of travellers and expats stranded in the region, as Penny Wong conceded the war sparked by US and Israeli bombings of Iran was “spreading and intensifying”.
But when asked by reporters on Wednesday about the legality of the strikes on Iran – which have drawn support from the federal government – the foreign affairs minister again said it was “a matter for Israel and the US”.
The federal government is struggling to assist some of the 115,000 Australians in the region, including as many as 24,000 in the United Arab Emirates, despite some commercial flights to Australia resuming on Wednesday. Wong and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, welcomed news that about 200 Australians were on the first flight back to Sydney on Wednesday.
“We are conscious of how distressed many people are,” Wong said.
“I want to assure you that we will continue to do all that we can to get Australians home and to keep Australians safe.”
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Wong said six Department of Foreign Affairs crisis support teams were being immediately deployed to the region to boost support to Australian citizens and permanent residents. She did not reveal their destinations or methods of travel, citing security risks.
Wong said Australian diplomats posted near the United States consulate in Dubai were all safe and accounted for, after a drone incident in a carpark caused a fire overnight Australian time. The Australian mission is close to the site, but no one was injured.
On the first full day of his visit to Australia, Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, said his support for the attacks came amid a “failure of the international order” and were “not a blank cheque” for the US president, Donald Trump, and Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We took a position because we view the nuclear threat and the export of terrorism of Iran over decades as one of the gravest threats to international peace and security,” Carney said in Sydney on Wednesday.
Describing the conflict, in which Iran has bombed 10 countries, as a failure of the international order, Carney said his position was taken with “regret”.
“Canada reaffirms that international law binds all belligerents.”
When challenged to explain Australia’s position on possible breaches of international law by the US and Israel, Wong said: “I think Prime Minister Carney also said it is for others to judge, and I have made clear that this is a matter for Israel and the US, the legal basis, for those two countries to respond to.”
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, urged fuel retailers not to do the wrong thing by customers by hiking prices unnecessarily due to the crisis.
Motoring group NRMA said retailers in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne had already used the war to “jack up margins”, pointing to data showing prices of nearly $2.20 a litre for regular unleaded.
“This must stop immediately,” spokesperson Peter Khoury said.
“Australians are doing it tough with cost-of-living pressures and now is not the time to be ripping the community off.”
He urged the competition watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, to act.
Chalmers this week asked the ACCC to monitor for price gouging amid a jump in global oil prices, as long lines are emerging at some petrol stations.
“I say to the retailers, don’t do the wrong thing by your customers,” Chalmers said.
“Make sure that you’re not being opportunistic with your pricing. The ACCC has got an important role to play here, and we’re making sure that they are as empowered as they can be to do that work.”
Oil prices have jumped nearly 15% so far this week, and are approaching $US83 a barrel, based on the international Brent crude benchmark.
