Liberal deputy Ted O'Brien slams Anthony Albanese's response to US, Iran strikes
Iran overnight fired missiles at the Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar in response to US strikes on its nuclear facilities at the weekend.
The Trump administration has suggested it was informed of the attack beforehand and Qatar was able to shoot down the Iranian missiles without any casualties.
Donald Trump announced on Tuesday morning - hours after the strike - that Israel and Iran had agreed to 'a complete and total ceasefire'.
The Prime Minister has been widely criticised by the Coalition and other political figures for his response to the US strikes, not fronting media until after a National Security Committee meeting on Monday.
Mr Albanese did officially back Mr Trump's actions, though refused to directly answer whether Australia was briefed prior to the decision to strike being made.
Mr O'Brien claimed Mr Albanese showed a 'lack of leadership' on the day of the strikes.
'The Prime Minister was silent – he put out no statement, he did not speak to the Australian people, he did not call a meeting of the National Security Committee,' he said on Today.
'He did not come out and decisively back the United States, our key ally. Unfortunately, that only weakens our relationship with the United States.
'And it sends a very dangerous message to the world that Australia, under this government, is passive. It's a failure of a leadership test.'
Appearing alongside Mr O'Brien, Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth hit back at claims Mr Albanese was 'defensive, dismissive, and really on edge' in Monday's press conference.
'What we saw was the Prime Minister come out and clearly explain Australia's position – clearly explain that we don't have a central role in this conflict and clearly explain what we're doing for Australians,' Ms Rishworth said.
'We are a methodical government … you might be used to the chaos of previous Coalition governments coming up with different positions, but we're a methodical government.'
Ms Rishworth did not answer directly when pressed by host Karl Stefanovic on whether the government would support further US strikes.
'I think these strikes were very targeted by the reports from the US,' she said.
'They have been effective in disrupting the nuclear facilities, and that was what their focus was, of course.
'The world for a long time has recognised that it is inconceivable that Iran gets access to nuclear weapons, and we – you know, for the peace and stability, stability of the world – that's been important.'
'The US has been pretty clear that it thinks it was a successful targeting of those facilities, but we want to see some return to diplomacy to actually de-escalate this, because a wider conflict in the Middle East is an incredibly difficult circumstance that no one wants to see.'
Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other senior Labor ministers on Tuesday morning condemned Iran's retaliatory strike on the US base.
Coalition's renewed calls to 'stand with US'
Sussan Ley has reaffirmed the Coalition's support for the US in the wake of Iran's strike, and called on Mr Albanese to attend this week's NATO Summit to seek a meeting with Mr Trump.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, the Opposition Leader reiterated their support for actions taken by the US to 'prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons'.
'The Coalition condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the Iranian regime's direct missile attack on a United States base in Qatar,' Ms Ley said.
'We note President Trump has said the United States was provided with prior notice to prevent loss of life and injury. That said, this provocative act is a violation of Qatari sovereignty.
'Australia must stand firmly with our allies and partners, including the United States, in the face of such aggression.
'Noting reports that President Trump may be seeking meetings with IP4 nations - including Australia - at NATO, we continue to urge (Mr Albanese) to attend.
'Now is a time for Australia to stand with the United States and Anthony Albanese should be taking every opportunity to do so.'
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has already travelled to Europe to represent Australia at the NATO Summit.
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The United Kingdom negotiated a limited trade deal with the Trump administration, accepting a 10 per cent US tariff on many goods, including cars in exchange for special access for aircraft engines and UK beef. Like the agreement struck with the UK in May, the one with Vietnam resembles more a framework than a finalised trade pact. China and the United States also came to a truce in a tit-for-tat tariff battle that resulted in China restoring US access to some rare-earth minerals but the two sides left most of their disagreements to later negotiations. The high potential tariff rate for Vietnam on shipments to its largest export market reflects its large trade surplus with the United States, which US government data shows topped $US123 billion last year. A hefty tariff could significantly limit access for Vietnam-made goods to its main market and upend the Communist-run country's export-oriented growth model. The government said last month that it would stick to its target for economic growth of at least eight per cent this year despite the looming risk from the tariffs. Vietnam has already taken several measures to reduce its trade gap with the United States, including cutting tariffs on a wide range of US goods, pledging to buy more goods from the United States and stepping up its crackdown on some trade with China over possible fraud on rules of origin of exports. Sources told Reuters last month that the United States wanted Vietnam to reduce the use of Chinese tech in devices that are assembled in the country before being exported to the United States. Vietnam has said it wanted to maintain harmonious trade ties with both the United States and China, its largest trading partner on which it heavily relies on for materials and equipment for its manufacturing industries. The United States and Vietnam have struck a trade agreement that sets 20 per cent tariffs on many of the Asian country's exports following last-minute negotiations, US President Donald Trump and Vietnamese state media say. The rate is lower than an initial 46 per cent levy Trump announced in April on goods from Vietnam which was due to take effect next week. Trump said that goods from Vietnam would face a 20 per cent tariff and that any trans-shipments from third countries would face a 40 per cent levy. Details were scarce and it was not immediately clear how the trans-shipment provision would be implemented. Vietnam would also provide the United States with more market access, with US exports to the country facing no tariffs, Trump said. That agreement appears to include US exporters of large-engine cars, according to Trump and Vietnamese state media. "It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," Trump said on Truth Social. "It is my opinion that the SUV or, as it is sometimes referred to, Large Engine Vehicle, which does so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam," Trump said. Vietnamese President To Lam asked in a phone call with Trump earlier on Wednesday that the United States recognise Vietnam as a market economy and remove restrictions on the exports of high-tech products to the country, Vietnam News Agency reported. Those changes have long been sought by Vietnam and dismissed by the US. Since Trump imposed tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese goods in his first term, US trade with Vietnam has exploded although almost all of it in the form of goods to the United States from Vietnam as importers sought workarounds for the China levies. Since 2018, Vietnam's exports are up nearly three-fold from less than $US50 billion ($A76 billion) that year to about $US137 billion in 2024, Census Bureau data shows. US exports to Vietnam are up only about 30 per cent in that time - to just over $US13 billion last year from less than $US10 billion in 2018. The White House and the Vietnamese trade ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump announced a wave of tariffs for countries around the world on April 2, before pausing the implementation of most duties until July 9. More than a dozen countries are actively negotiating with the Trump administration to avoid a steep spike in tariffs on their exports. Trump's administration has teased that a deal with India is also coming soon but it has said that others may not be ready by July 9. 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The government said last month that it would stick to its target for economic growth of at least eight per cent this year despite the looming risk from the tariffs. Vietnam has already taken several measures to reduce its trade gap with the United States, including cutting tariffs on a wide range of US goods, pledging to buy more goods from the United States and stepping up its crackdown on some trade with China over possible fraud on rules of origin of exports. Sources told Reuters last month that the United States wanted Vietnam to reduce the use of Chinese tech in devices that are assembled in the country before being exported to the United States. Vietnam has said it wanted to maintain harmonious trade ties with both the United States and China, its largest trading partner on which it heavily relies on for materials and equipment for its manufacturing industries.
