Politics Live: Penny Wong warns Australians of ‘severe travel disruption’ due to Iran conflict; NSW to review hospital maintenance after fungus and bird lice outbreaks

As mentioned earlier, State Health Minister Ryan Park announced overnight that NSW Health was conducting a rapid review of “serious hospital maintenance issues.”.

The ongoing review so far has identified 112 “non-routine” issues, Park said. Their statement acknowledged cases of mosquitoes, crickets, beetles, and a possum, as well as mould, asbestos, and leaky roofs at several hospitals—and added other issues to the list, including flies, birds, cockroaches, pigeons, bird survival, and more possums.

In a highly critical statement on Sunday, Sarah Michelle, the shadow health minister, expressed her fear that these issues were just the beginning.

Patients go to the hospital for treatment and care so that they are not put in further danger due to toxic mould or conditions caused by bird droppings and dead pigeons in ceiling cavities and air conditioning units.

Hygiene is paramount in hospitals, and my heart aches for the families that have lost loved ones due to these diseases.

America and Israel will have to explain the legal ‘basis’ for the strikes: Wong

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia has no involvement in the attack on Iran, and the nuclear program cannot continue to be at risk.

Sticking to his interview with ABC News Breakfast, Wong says he has not spoken to his American counterpart, Marco Rubio. And “hopefully not,” because Australia plays a peripheral role in the region, she says.

She avoids the legality of the attacks, saying Israel and the US must clarify:

One difference between Iraq then and now is that we are not participating in these attacks. This is the first point I would make. Second, I said that its legal basis is to convince the United States and Israel.

We clearly oppose the intelligence that both the United States and Israel are citing in their decisions. Therefore, it is their job to explain its legal basis. We support action taken to ensure that Iran does not possess a nuclear weapon.

Wong was asked if we would see regime change after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. She says that regardless of the US president, it should be up to the Iranian people. donald trump Want regime change:

The future of Iran is in the hands of the Iranian people. History teaches us that external forces cannot permanently impose regime change.

Regarding Ayatollah Khamenei, as you said, no one will mourn his death. This is the leader who is responsible for brutally killing his people.

115,000 Australians in the Middle East region

As Australians are warned not to travel to the Middle East, Penny Wong says there are about 115,000 Australians in the region, and about 11,000 regularly travel to and from Australia on Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast this morning, Wong says Australians will get home quickest if the government can help people get on commercial flights instead of repatriating.

Wong says there are currently no flights to take Australians home:

The government is currently unable to help in situations where flights are cancelled, disrupted, and their locations are closed.

First we have to see whether commercial flights will resume. Given the number of people in the area, facilitating commercial flights will help them reach home the quickest. Right now, the issue is not who is flying; the issue is that nobody is flying.

SmartTraveler has updated its list of countries not to travel to in the Middle East as conflict escalates in the region.

Countries include:

Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The website says Australians should reconsider travelling to Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

In a statement this morning, the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, said Australians should expect travel disruption.

We understand that these circumstances will be a challenging time for many people, especially those who have family in the area or are planning a visit.

The Albany Government’s priority is the safety and security of Australians. We will continue to support Australians as they navigate the disruption ahead, providing regular travel advice updates and consular assistance where we can, mindful that there are limits to what any government can do in a fast-moving and uncertain environment.

Wong warned that travellers outside the Middle East should also expect some disruptions.

The statement said Australians should:

• Ensure to closely monitor events and local media.

• Contact their travel agent or airlines directly to confirm their plans.

• Review their travel insurance to understand what is covered in the event of cancellation.

• Follow SmartReveler for the latest advice and subscribe for updates.

Good morning, Krishna Dhanji. I am here with you for a very busy day ahead.

There will be considerable domestic reaction to the emerging situation in Iran and the Middle East with the External Affairs Minister. Penny Wong issued a statement this morning warning Australians about travel disruptions. Wong and the Defense Minister, Richard Marles: We’ll bring you the government’s media discussion interviews as they come.

As mentioned earlier, the House of Representatives is going to look quite different today, Angus Taylor. Angus Taylor will be seated in the opposition leader’s chair for the first time after his removal. Susan Le. His new-look front bench will also sit with him.

I’ve got my coffee; I hope you’ve got yours. Let’s get straight to it.

Cosiness: The latest home value index shows homes in Sydney and Melbourne have stabilised, with even midsized capitals recording bumper monthly gains. Perth continues to be the country’s best performer, with prices rising 27.1% over the past year.

Housing values ​​increased 2.3% in February alone, bringing the average home up by more than $22,500. Brisbane and Adelaide are also performing better, with growth of 1.6% and 1.3%, respectively.

In contrast, Sydney and Melbourne saw zero growth in average homes over the month, a quarter of the slight decline.

Director of Research at Quotality, Tim Lawless, described the “two-speed situation” as extraordinary, saying that the property markets of major and medium-sized capitals had been diverging for years. He said low supply and high demand are leading to huge profits in other capitals.

Good morning and welcome to Guardian Australia’s politics live blog.

The federal parliament is sitting. Anthony Albanese completed 30 years in politics: Angus Taylor. This weekend marks his first week in Canberra as the opposition leader. The coalition is expected to press Labour for the return of women and children held in a camp in Syria, as well as changes to capital gains taxes on investment properties.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong has warned Australians to expect “severe travel disruption” in the coming days due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, including changes to routes to Europe at short notice. In a statement this morning, his office said, “Many Australians in the Middle East are unable to travel due to airspace closures, including major transit hubs.”

As New South Wales prepares for budget estimates, the state’s Health Minister, Ryan Park, has ordered a rapid review of “serious” hospital maintenance issues, including cockroaches, possums, and bird lice, as well as mould, roof leaks, and asbestos.