The Australian government has rushed through special legislation allowing it to cancel Russia’s lease on a site for a new embassy near Parliament House, citing national security concerns.
On Thursday Anthony Albanese and the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, announced the move, with the prime minister promising to act “quickly to ensure the leased site does not become a formal diplomatic presence”.
The Russian government took legal action after a decision in August by the National Capital Authority to terminate its lease on a block of land in Yarralumla. On 31 May the Russian government won its case in the federal court, which found the termination was “invalid and of no effect”.
Albanese told reporters in Canberra the government had “received very clear security advice as to the risk presented by a new Russian presence so close to Parliament House”.
Albanese said the government had briefed the Coalition leadership on Wednesday evening, and crossbench parliamentarians and the Australian Capital Territory chief minister, Andrew Barr, on Thursday morning.
He thanked the Coalition and crossbenchers for “cooperation in this matter”.
The legislation was introduced by O’Neil on Thursday morning and it passed the Senate just over an hour later.
O’Neil said the bill was “straightforward, it identifies a specific piece of land in Canberra which currently has a lease agreement between the National Capital Authority and the Russian Federation and the bill terminates that lease agreement”.
“The principal problem with the proposed second Russian embassy in Canberra is its location. This location sits directly adjacent to Parliament House.”
O’Neil said the government had decided the land “will not be used for a future diplomatic presence” but it would advise in future what it will be used for.
In August Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, proposed moving its embassy to the site in Yarralumla.
Russia has an existing embassy in Griffith, about 2.5km from Parliament House.
Albanese said Russia would continue its diplomatic presence in Griffith, “just as Australia has a diplomatic presence in Moscow”: “This is not about changing that, this is about the specific risk presented by this site and that is why we are taking this action.”
He suggested the Russian government could take action in response but warned: “We don’t expect that Russia’s in a position to talk about international law given their rejection of it so consistently and so brazenly with their invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities that have occurred that are occurring on an ongoing basis.”
International law requires states to “facilitate the acquisition on its territory, in accordance with its laws” premises necessary for the sending country’s mission and that such premises are “inviolable”.
Albanese also faced questions about Australia’s support for Ukraine after growing impatience for more help including the light protected mobility vehicle, the Hawkei.
He told reporters: “It’s not right that there hasn’t been increased Australian contribution.
“When you make an announcement of Bushmasters, it doesn’t mean that the 90 Bushmasters arrived the next day. They’re being built and transported to Ukraine. Australian soldiers are training Ukrainian soldiers in the United Kingdom and there are a range of ways in which we are providing support.
“So we stand very strongly with the people of Ukraine but we are continuing to make contributions and continuing to provide support which is occurring everyday, every week, and every month.”
