Will Goodings, Host: Iran's Ambassador to Australia has been expelled. That's something that hasn't happened here since the Second World War. It came yesterday after ASIO revealed that Iran had orchestrated terrorist attacks on Jewish targets here in Australia. The Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, joins us now on FiveAA Breakfast. Minister, good morning.
Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Good morning. Good to be with you.
David Penberthy, Host: This is obviously the right decision that the government has made, Senator Wong. It's a big deal, isn't it? This is a big deal. This is another country attacking our country, attacking innocent civilians in our country.
Foreign Minister: Absolutely. And a line has been crossed and that's why the government has responded so strongly. We know that we have relationships with countries with whom we disagree. We know that we keep those diplomatic relationships because we want to prosecute Australia's interests and also to look after Australians who are in those countries. But when you have a regime, a foreign country organising in Australia, attacks on Australian premises, potentially on Australians, that is what could have happened and in order to sow discord, that is obviously a line that has been crossed that we had to respond very forcefully to and we have. And as you said, this is the first time in the post-war period that we have expelled an ambassador.
Goodings: It was clearly designed to sow social discord, disrupt social cohesion, but I'm interested to know what ASIO's interpretation of the motive is and indeed yours, Foreign Minister.
Foreign Minister: Well, look, we know that Iran and the Iranian Republican Guard have engaged in foreign interference in countries around the world. This is, this is really unprecedented, though, to have a violent attack against the Adass Israel Synagogue and the Lewis Continental Kitchen. Obviously, deliberate antisemitic attacks, but as you said, also to sow discord. And one of the things that we have to remember is one of our great strengths is as a multifaith, multicultural country who welcomes people of all races and religions and views and is able to differ in terms of our views respectfully and peacefully, we have to hold onto that and we have to safeguard that. And our action also goes to making sure that is safeguarded.
Penberthy: I think it's a really important point, Penny Wong, because I don't know, having lived in Sydney for a long time, I'm going to say in real-time, my emotional, my private emotional reaction when those things were happening was, my God, these people live among us. Now, clearly there are people who live among us who are happy to do the Iranian regime's dirty work by being their sort of eyes and ears on the ground, the actors, if you will. But there is an element of reassurance that the imprimatur, the idea, the operation was, to a large degree, an offshore operation – which goes to the point you're making about foreign interference.
Foreign Minister: Yes. Look, the overwhelming majority of Australians are decent people, and we care about our community being cohesive. We want all Australians to be safe and to feel safe. I think that's where the overwhelming majority of Australians are, and that's what we have to hold onto. Having a foreign actor try and disrupt that is unacceptable. Now, of course, as the ASIO Director-General said yesterday, Iran is not responsible for every antisemitic attack. We still have a responsibility here in Australia to confront that hatred. But it is a reminder that we have to work together to make sure we stay what we are, which is in Australia, which is in which people can both be and feel safe.
Penberthy: Those actors that I talked about, though, the people on the ground, presumably, kicking out the Ambassador's one thing, kicking out his fellow staff's one thing, but I know you're not the Justice Minister, you're not the NSW Police Commissioner, but you would think that there'd be a continuing operation to work out who was actually on the ground doing their dirty work.
Foreign Minister: No, Penbo, you're right. And these are different people. We have different roles and there are different ways in which we respond. And the diplomatic response has been clear. And that's a clear message to Iran and to the Iranian Republican Guard. But the law enforcement element of this continues. And the Director-General of ASIO made that clear yesterday.
Penberthy: Yeah, yeah.
Goodings: Do you think one of the motivating factors might have been to see the Australian Government step back from its full-throated support of Israel? And if so, has it worked to some degree?
Foreign Minister: Absolutely not. We make our decisions in terms of our foreign policy position in Australia's interest. We always look to our national interests. And you would have seen Prime Minister Netanyahu has also been very critical of Australia. And the Prime Minister's response is we act in our national interest.
Penberthy: Senator Penny Wong, the Foreign Minister, thank you for joining us this morning on 5AA.
Foreign Minister: Cheers, Penbo.