Victorian Treaty bill delayed
The Victorian government has delayed introducing a bill that would formalise Australia’s first formal treaty with traditional owners.
Guardian Australia understands the government had planned to introduce a statewide treaty bill on Wednesday, after it was signed off in cabinet earlier in the week.
But the plans have been delayed due to the Porepunkah shooting. Police are still searching for Dezi Freeman, who they allege shot two police officers dead in an ambush at his property on Tuesday morning.
It is understood the government also wants to ensure the treaty is given the focus it deserves.
The bill is the culmination of almost 10 years of work by the Victorian Labor government, which has also included setting up the First Peoples’ Assembly - a democratically elected body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in treaty discussions -and the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which oversees the state’s truth-telling process.
If the bill passes, it will acquit Voice, Treaty, Truth – the three pillars of reform requested in the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart. Victoria will become the first state in the country to achieve this.
The social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, said it was important for the debt recovery process to be fair and transparent.
She said:
This $300 million package will mean Services Australia does not waste time or resources chasing accidental debts that are uneconomical to recover, and spare Australians with small debts significant stress. It will also provide compensation for those affected by the historical practice of income apportionment, in recognition of clear evidence it was invalid.”
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The government’s announcement today means those whose entitlements were incorrectly calculated by the method between 2003 to 2020 will be eligible to apply for a $600 resolution payment. The government said it was in “recognition of the fact that we now know this method of calculating entitlements was invalid”.
The government noted the reprieve would not be available for recipients where there has been “significant non-compliance or fraud” and it would “continue to recover every cent of debt in these circumstances”.
A bill will be introduced in the coming weeks to provide legal clarity for the debt calculation method.
Labor promises to wipe debts of up to $250 in ‘social security debt reform’
The Albanese government has announced it will wipe about 1.2m historical debts of up to $250 in a move it claims is an “important first step toward systemic social security debt reform”.
In July, the federal court ruled the social services department could estimate a welfare recipient’s income using its preferred method, meaning thousands of recipients could now be liable for debts totalling more than $1bn and dating back decades.
Previously, Centrelink had made assumptions to calculate a welfare recipient’s wage in order to offer them the right amount of supplemental income. For example, a casual worker might be paid a lump sum for a fortnight’s work, which Centrelink could divide to find a daily or weekly wage within an income reporting period to determine their payment for that period.
That method, known as income apportionment, was used for decades but was ruled unlawful, placing a question mark on more than $1bn in debt owed by welfare recipients stretching back to the late 1970s.
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Alex Ryvchin shocked but not surprised by Iran’s involvement in antisemitic attacks
Earlier this morning, Alex Ryvchin, of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said he wasn’t “surprised” or Iran’s involvement in two antisemitic attacks in Australia, but was still shocked by the events.
He told ABC’s News Breakfast he’d spoken to the owners of one of the targeted businesses and said they were “really rattled” by the revelations.
There was no surprise, really. But also, it still brought us a great degree of shock to know now definitively that this regime – which is responsible for so much misery and bloodshed, that is capable of such atrocities – honed in on our Australian Jewish community and committed attacks on Australian soil.
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Andrew Bragg chastises Labor over lack of transparency
Over in the Senate this morning, the Coalition is having a crack at the government over its lack of transparency – after the shadow housing minister, Andrew Bragg, tried to get documents on spending in the housing Australia future fund (HAFF).
Bragg says the government can’t say how many houses have been built under the scheme, or show how the money has been spent.
He says the Department of Finance reported that $223m had been debited in 2024-25, of the $500m that is supposed to be spent under the HAFF each financial year. The auditor-general then told the opposition that the rest of the money, the $277m had been debited and given to Housing Australia to spend on round one of the HAFF.
But Bragg says there’s still no clarity on where that taxpayer money has gone – hence the order for the production of documents – that the government has so far failed to produce.
Bragg takes a shot at the government, and points to research by the Centre for Public Integrity that the: “FOI regime has sharply worsened under the Albanese government… The proportion of requests granted in full has fallen from 59% in 2011–12 to just 25%t in 2023–24. Meanwhile, refusals have nearly doubled – from 12% to 23%.” Bragg says:
It is a secretive government, it has a shocking record of responding to orders for production of documents …
This government is more secretive than a government led by a man who swore himself into secret ministries.
Greens senator Barbara Pocock also criticises the lack of transparency and says “ministers are making incontestable claims of public interest immunity and there is little recourse to hold them to account”.
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Albanese says national security settings have not changed despite Iran revelations
Anthony Albanese has confirmed Australia’s diplomats in Iran were evacuated just after midnight on Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s press conference revealing Iran’s involvement in the two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph’s Bush Summit, Albanese says the government was given full briefings on Asio’s intelligence on Monday morning.
He says Iran has a history of “not respecting diplomats”, making their evacuation from Tehran critical.
We had full briefings about the fact that they were certain. You need to be certain. Be very clear the actions in expelling a diplomat isn’t something that you do for political purposes. It isn’t something that you do lightly.
Albanese also said this was “overwhelmingly, this was an Australian operation”, when asked about a report that Israel provided intelligence towards these revelations.
Intelligence agencies talked to each other, but this was credit, where credit’s due to director-general Mike Burgess and to our friends in Asio, this is something that Australians should be really proud of.
He added that Australia’s national security settings haven’t changed since yesterday’s revelations, and that Australians can “take confidence” in Australia’s national security agencies.
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Government should have added IRGC to terror listing sooner, Sharma says
Australia had some grounds to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation sooner, says Liberal senator and former ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma.
Speaking to Sky News, Sharma says Iran’s involvement in the two antisemitic attacks was “shocking” and that in international relation terms, “this is about as serious and grave as you can get.”
The Coalition has said the government should have moved sooner to add the IRGC to the terror listing and expel the Iranian ambassador. Sharma said there has been cause to do so, and points to the terror listing of the IRGC in the US and Canada.
Asio has said publicly now on at least a couple of occasions over the past year, and named Iran as an actor that was a country of concern … that is on the public record. The Senate inquiry heard from a number of Iranian diaspora groups who gave first-hand accounts of harassment and intimidation of themselves or their families.
We’ve also had the Iranian ambassador here interfering in a quite unacceptable way in domestic political debate in Australia, and basically fanning the flames of antisemitism.
I think there has been a pretty substantial case here, for at least some time.
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Woolworths profits fall nearly a fifth to $1.4bn
Woolworths’ profits fell by almost a fifth to just under $1.4bn over the year to June, after costs picked up but sales barely moved.
The company said its earnings were squeezed after customers swapped from their typical purchases to cheaper alternatives, along with increased stock loss (theft and waste), livestock costs.
Customers also swapped towards online shopping, away from in-store, which drove up Woolworths’ costs, together taking its net profit margin down from 2.5% to just 2%, Investors will be paid a total of $0.84 per share, nearly half the $1.44 payout they received a year ago.
Amanda Bardwell, Woolworths’ chief executive, said the result had not lived up to the company’s hopes and growth was still slow in August.
Average prices at the supermarket in June were lower than they were the previous year, excluding tobacco, as had been the case each quarter since March 2024, Bardwell said. She acknowledged customers didn’t perceive that to be the case:
Our value perception has deteriorated as many everyday items have risen in price through a period of high cost-price inflation. We are committed to lowering prices where possible.
Big W, the department store branch, saw sales fall with clothing particularly disappointing, which the company blamed on warm weather arriving later in 2024 and staying longer in 2025, straining seasonal supply.
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Marles says he discussed Aukus with Hegseth in Washington meeting
More on the meeting between the defence minister, Richard Marles, and the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, in Washington overnight.
As well as talks with the US vice-president JD Vance and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, Marles says he and Hegseth discussed critical minerals, investment opportunities and US-Australia defence ties.
They discussed the Aukus nuclear submarines deal, a key concern for Canberra in ties with Washington. Marles said:
I was pleased to have the opportunity today to meet with some of the most senior members of the US Administration, including Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio to reaffirm our commitment to the Alliance and advance our strong partnership.
It was fantastic to see Secretary Hegseth again, following our most recent meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May.
Australia’s defence relationship with the United States continues to grow and deepen. We are seeing this across the breadth of our cooperation be it through our work together on AUKUS, US Force Posture initiatives, our recent bilateral defence exercise Talisman Sabre, or the growing ties between our two defence industries.”
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Albanese questioned about the threat of sovereign citizens
Moving on to the shooting of two Victorian police officers on Monday, Raf Epstein asks Albanese about whether the government has taken seriously the threat of the so-called sovereign citizens.
The alleged perpetrator, Dezi Freeman, has been linked to the movement.
Albanese says the government has taken the movement and far-right extremism seriously.
Mike Burgess, the director general of Asio, has been warning about far-right extremism. We have seen that spread, and it is difficult to defend against individuals. We know that that is the case, that this person, Dezi Freeman, who remains on the run is the latest advice that we have received, has [allegedly] engaged in an attack in which two police officers have lost their lives, a third has been seriously injured.
Albanese says his heart goes out to the family and friends of those affected, and the police force in Victoria.
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Iran’s motivations were antisemitism, Albanese says
Anthony Albanese says Iran had two motivations behind their involvement in two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
Speaking to ABC Radio Melbourne, Albanese says the motivations were antisemitism which he says is “very much part of the ideology of the leadership of Iran” and the second was to sow disharmony and attack Australia’s social fabric.
Asked whether this was a security failure, Albanese says it wasn’t.
This is a rather extraordinary intelligence success by Asio and the Australian federal police in today’s world where things are often done on the dark web, where you have encrypted messages, cryptocurrency transfers, you have a complex situation here, and it’s an extraordinary effort by Asio and the AFP to be able to trace the chain of command, if you like, right back to the IRGC, through to the people who perpetrated these criminal acts.
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Labor living in ‘la la land of rhetoric’ on defence spending, says Coalition
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, the 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.
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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!
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Richard Marles met with senior Trump officials, including US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth
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.
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) August 26, 2025
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
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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”.
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‘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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sussan Ley pays tribute to slain Porepunkah police officers
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.
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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”.
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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.
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‘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].
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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‘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.
Updated
Good morning
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!
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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.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 26, 2025
Our nation’s condolences are with everyone whose world has been shattered by this horrific shooting.
While we can…
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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.
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) August 26, 2025
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
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.
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.
Updated
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.
