Television Interview, ABC News Breakfast

SUBJECTS: Conflict in the Middle East; Fuel supply; ADF assistance with flood recovery; AFL Royal Commission Referral

EMMA REBELLATO, HOST: The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, joins us now from Parliament House. Thanks for joining us.

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Pleasure.

REBELLATO: Let's start with — in the Middle East, everyone in Australia is concerned about fuel, they're concerned about rising costs. When it comes to fuel, is the government looking at a possibility of fuel rationing if this war goes on?

MARLES: Well, I mean, right now we have taken steps to put more fuel supply into the system. Over the course of the weekend, we released 20% of the stock holdings that are kept in Australia, and that will see around 760 million litres extra of fuel go into the system, and that's obviously a significant amount. We've also loosened the restrictions, or the regulations, around sulphur levels, which in turn releases about 100 million litres into the system as well per month. That does make a difference. You know, right now our message to Australians is to just keep going on as you normally would. As we speak, the same amount of ships that are supplying Australia are doing that. Obviously, you know, this is a function of how long this conflict continues, and that's not something that I can answer in terms of what's going to happen. But we are taking the measures that we're taking right now, and it is a matter of people just going about their business normally and calmly.

REBELLATO: When it comes to this war, as you mentioned, we don't know how long this is going to go on for. If it does continue to go on for quite some time, are Defence forces now preparing for the possibility that they may have to join offensive action, not just defensive, which we're seeing in the UAE?

MARLES: Well, our position is really clear. We have taken some measures in terms of the deployment of our E-7 aircraft, for example, to provide for defensive measures in respect of the states of the Gulf. That's where we are at. We are not a part of the action that has been undertaken by the United States and by Israel. And we're really clear in terms of Australia's national position.

REBELLATO: What's the latest on getting expats home from the Middle East region? We know there are tens of thousands — in fact more than 100,000 people — there?

MARLES: Well, it's been a massive consular challenge. As you said, about 5,000 Australians have now returned since the conflict began, and that's a significant number. And we're talking there largely, you know, those people who were travelling through the region and who were caught in the moment of the conflict breaking out. We continue to work with Australian communities who are in the region. And as you say, there is a very large number of Australians there. Some will clearly want to be staying — most will want to stay — but we will continue to work with those communities and look to how we can facilitate people returning, if that's what they choose.

REBELLATO: We had six DFAT teams which we sent to the region. Are they still on the ground there?

MARLES: Those DFAT teams are doing all they can to, as I say, assist Australians in the region. And as I said, we've seen 5,000 Australians return. I mean, we continue to provide information and work with the Australian communities in the region as best we can, and that varies depending on where those communities are. I mean, clearly there are Australians who are in Iran right now, but our capacity to assist Australians in Iran is limited, given that we don't have embassy officials on the ground. But we will continue to work with communities across the region. I think the important point to make here is for people to follow the government advisories in respect of Smartraveller. Right now, commercial options remain the best way for people to leave the region, if that's what they are seeking to do. And we've been working with those communities and with the airlines to facilitate those options, and that's been done to the tune of thousands of Australians returning. But we'll keep that work ongoing.

REBELLATO: Defence forces back home are currently in the Northern Territory helping with the flood cleanup. Now, there has been a suggestion that this has just come too late. It's very welcome, but it's too late — that there should have been boots on the ground earlier. Should the government have acted earlier in this?

MARLES: Well, I mean, when it comes to assisting in domestic matters, we very much act at the behest of state governments, and in this instance the Territory government. And that's by law, and that's an appropriate — a really important — legal framework. It's not for the Defence Force to act independently in terms of domestic matters. As soon as we received a request from the Northern Territory government, we acted. And so, you know, we can't act before receiving that request, but as soon as we received it, we were there. And there's about 50 personnel who are assisting with the flood situation in the Northern Territory.

REBELLATO: I'd like to ask you about something that's a little bit left of field, and that is regarding the AFL. The Sydney Swans gave a pre-game speech about the Bondi attack. They didn't mention the Jewish community. Now, as a result of that, Senator James Paterson has referred them to the antisemitism Royal Commission. Is that the right decision, do you think?

MARLES: Well, look, I'm not familiar with all of that. The only thing I can say about that is, you know, I visited Bondi a couple of days after the event back in December. Actually, at the time that I was visiting Bondi, the entirety of the Sydney Swans team were there, paying their respects and laying flowers. So, I don't think there's any doubt that the Sydney Swans have actually understood what's happened here and have very much paid their respects in this matter. So, I'm not aware of the specifics of what you're talking about, but I can absolutely attest to the fact that when I was at Bondi, literally two or three days after the event, the Sydney Swans took time out of their schedule to go and to pay their respects.

REBELLATO: Richard Marles, we thank you for your time this morning.

MARLES: Thank you.