Television Interview, ABC News Breakfast

SUBJECT: Conflict in the Middle East

EMMA REBELLATO, HOST: We're joined by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles from Parliament House in Canberra. Thanks for joining us this morning.

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Emma.

EMMA REBELLATO: Given the developments overnight, how worried are you that this conflict is widening and could last for weeks, if not months?

MARLES: Well look, it's obviously difficult to speculate on how long the conflict will last. It's clearly the question that everyone is asking. You know, from Australia's point of view, obviously we are not involved in the conflict. This is an action being undertaken by the US and Israel, and we've been very clear we support the action having as a core aim denying Iran the ability to acquire a deployable nuclear weapon which would obviously be a catastrophe for the world. We're very mindful though that there is a very significant consular challenge which is being presented by this – about 115,000 Australians across the region. There's lots of Australians who are experiencing disrupted air travel. And so that's a situation that we are monitoring very closely and preparing for as best we can.

REBELLATO: Have you spoken or texted or messaged anyone in the US Government about this?

MARLES: Look, I haven't personally, but I wouldn't expect to given that we are not involved in it. But our systems are very close and so there has absolutely been exchanges between our systems as to, you know, what, what's occurring. And America has been seeking to keep us informed of what the aim here is and, and how this is progressing.

REBELLATO: But given, as you mentioned, you've got 115,000 Australians stuck in the Middle East, you've got countless others who've been caught with the conflict. If this drags on, we could be facing higher cost of living. Shouldn't you be having these conversations with America?

MARLES: Well, I mean, there's a lot of speculation in that about how long this lasts and again, I just think we, it sounds trite but you literally kind of have to take this a day at a time. It is very difficult to speculate about how long this will go. You are right that there could easily be an economic dimension to this, and it is a function of how long it goes. And again, we're very mindful of that and looking at what the potential economic impacts will be. But again, this is just something that we need to be monitoring very closely. If in fact this does drag on, we'll obviously deal with the economic consequences as they arise. Our focus, though, right now really is on the consular side of it and making sure that we are keeping Australians who are in the region, who are affected by this, as informed as possible and planning as best we can for a range of scenarios which may ensue in the coming days and weeks.

REBELLATO: So, are you looking at the possibility, then, that you'd have to organise repatriation flights or other ways of getting people out of those regions if you're looking at all these different scenarios?

MARLES: Yeah, look, I mean, we are working through a range of contingencies which I don't really want to speculate on now, other than to say the most obvious point: there is around airspace. I mean, the airspace is currently fundamentally closed, although, as you've reported, it does sound as though there have been some limited number of flights which have started to leave some of the airports in the Middle East. So, that's good news. But so long as the airspace is heavily restricted, that obviously restricts the ability to do anything in that space. I think the other point to make is that as airspace reopens, our expectation is that the most expeditious way in which people can get home, the fastest flights to resume, will be commercial options. But we are, I can assure you, working through a range of contingencies right now.

REBELLATO: Given you mentioned the potential economic impact that Australians will face, what is your message to people? Should they be bracing for higher prices across the board here?

MARLES: Well, I mean, if this does go for some period of time, it's going to have an impact on global supply chains, and that will particularly affect the cost of fuel. But, you know, and people need to have that in mind. But right now I think it's important we not get ahead of ourselves. This really is taking this a day at a time. I mean, cost of living has been literally the number one focus of our government since we came to government back in 2022. So, we continue very much to think about all the cost of living measures we have in place. You know, this is something, though, that we are monitoring very carefully to determine exactly what impact it ultimately has.

REBELLATO: Richard Marles, before I finish up with you, I just want to ask you about this story that a number of Shiite mosques and Islamic institutions in Sydney and Melbourne are holding public memorials and prayer sessions to mourn the death of Iran's former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. What do you make of that?

MARLES: Well, look, I don't think that's appropriate. I mean, the people that we are thinking about, that we are mourning, are the thousands of Iranians who have died at the hands of the supreme leader in just the last few weeks. And that's before you think about the countless numbers of Iranians who have perished over the nearly 40 years that the supreme leader has been at the helm of Iran. I mean, Iran, the Iranian regime, is an oppressive autocracy. Globally, its behaviour has been outrageous. But in terms of the behaviour in respect of its own citizens, it has been absolutely terrible. And so many innocent Iranians have lost their lives at the hands of this regime. They are the people who we are thinking about right now.

REBELLATO: Richard Marles, thank you very much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.

MARLES: Thanks, Emma.