Panel with Natalie Barr and Clare O'Neil, Sunrise
18 October 2023
NATALIE BARR: There are calls for Australia to pressure the Israeli government to guarantee the safe passage out of Gaza for foreign nationals, including dozens of Aussies. 45 Australians are now believed to be trapped there. We did think it was 19 with no way to escape the growing humanitarian crisis after the border crossing into Egypt was shut. It comes as the Federal government confirms there are no more repatriation flights planned for Aussies hoping to flee Israel. Let's bring in Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume Good morning to both of you. Clare, At least 45 Aussies are stuck in Gaza with no way out at the moment Is there anything the Government can do?
CLARE O’NEIL: Thanks, Nat. We upped that number to 46 overnight, so we're in contact with 46 Australians who are trapped in Gaza and the Australian Government is working furiously to do everything we can to get people out. Just so your viewers understand why this is so difficult, this is a very small plot of land about half the size of Canberra, and there are 2 million people living in it and there is effectively one entry and exit point. And the governments that control that exit point have shut it off. So it's not just Australia, it's UK citizens, it's US citizens who are in the same position and we are working across the countries that are affected to try to get that border crossing open so we can get those 46 Australians out. It's really concerning. And of course your viewers are seeing what's unfolding in Gaza due to Hamas's horrendous terrorist attack. There is going to be more violence in Gaza and we are doing everything possible to get people out. We've had a lot of good results getting people out of Israel, but the Gaza situation is much more difficult and we're working very hard on it at the moment.
NATALIE BARR: Yeah, we have seen airstrikes hitting that southern area. We've seen this hospital bombed. We don't know whether it's Hamas or Israel. It is the most difficult of situations. What do we know of those 46 Australians, women, children, families that we know that there's 46 people there?
CLARE O’NEIL: I can't give you the demographic information of who it is. All I know is that there are 46 Aussies with Australian passports in their hands. We assume that most of those people will want to leave as soon as they're given the opportunity to do so. Can I just pay credit to the government officials, to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, to our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who are using every power that our country has here to try to make a way for people to leave. As I said, we've had 1500 people already leave the region with the support and assistance of the Australian Government and I know the Opposition's been very supportive of those efforts. We've got to now focus our attention on those 46 people and we're doing everything we can. We hope that we'll be able to report back something positive.
NATALIE BARR: We have also had these rogue attacks in other parts of the world. Will the terror threat level here at home be changed because of this conflict?
CLARE O’NEIL: Thanks, Nat. So Director General Mike Burgess and I and the person who's filling in for him while he's overseas are in constant contact about the domestic security situation. And this is something that I'm working very hard on. What I can report back to people is that the terror threat level in Australia has not changed. So the terror threat level before the crisis was possible. It remains that today. And when we look at different groups in the community, for example, our Jewish Australian brothers and sisters, even for them, the terror threat level remains possible. Now what has changed is the vigilance and focus of Australian government security officials on the problem of domestic security. That is because there are increased levels of anxiety and tension in the Australian community at the moment. I think anyone who is watching the news can see that I want Australians to think about their duties to each other as citizens at a time like this. We've got a beautiful multicultural country here because people think and care for one another as neighbours and we just need to take that attitude with us as we go forward. I'm confident that we can get through this in the peaceful manner in which we resolve things as Australian citizens. But please know that we are watching very, very closely and carefully.
NATALIE BARR: Yeah, Jane, it's a terrible situation. What would you suggest we do as a government, as a nation?
JANE HUME: Well, certainly I would urge anybody that has family or friends or contacts in Israel that are trying to get out, Australians that are trying to get out or in Gaza that are trying to get out, to contact the Australian Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555135. We will do anything that we can from the Coalition's perspective to assist the Government to get people through that Gaza crossing in Rafah. We would hope that the Government is using every contact that it possibly can. We had the Israeli ambassador come and speak to the Coalition party room yesterday and tell us about the dire situation that is occurring there that they are acutely conscious of. They are very grateful for Australia's unequivocal support and that's exactly what they will get. But we would hope that those diplomatic ties are being used to get as many Australians out as possible. We're a little concerned about the cease of the repatriation flights. There are still thousands of Australians in Israel that might want to leave. We would hope that if there were anybody left there, that the Australian Government is aware of those and is planning an additional repatriation flight.
NATALIE BARR: Yeah, Claire, they finished at the moment, but they haven't finished all together, have they? There were, as Richard Marles told us the other day, there were empty seats on at least the last one of those out.
CLARE O’NEIL: That's correct Nat. So there's about 1200 people who are still in contact with the Australian Government and receiving updates about potential returns. There is actually a flight plan to leave Tel Aviv today and we had a flight touch down in Sydney yesterday. We've got another flight going from London, from Dubai, sorry to Australia with an additional plane load of people from Australia. But I would say, as you've just said there, we are urging people, if you are in Israel at the moment and you want to leave, immediately, take the first flight that is offered to you, don't think about other options that you might wait and see. The situation in the Middle East is deteriorating rapidly and we are urging people, if you want to leave, As you mentioned, there are plane loads coming back with empty seats on them as people who say that they want to leave, then later decide not to and just say again, if you and your family want to leave Israel, take the first flight that is offered to you and get back to Australia as quickly as you can.
NATALIE BARR: Yep. As we can see on the news, every day, it is changing and you don't know what on earth is going to happen there. Thank you very much, Clare and Jane. We'll see you next week.