Former prime minister Tony Abbott has called for Australia to join the war in the Middle East, arguing that the country’s armed forces should be used to support allies in what he described as a just cause.
The remarks come as a live news blog tracks the latest political reaction to the conflict and its broader consequences, including growing concern about the impact of war on the global economy.
The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned that the Iran war will permanently scar the world economy, even if a durable peace deal can eventually be reached in the Middle East. The assessment underscores how conflict in the region may have effects that extend well beyond the battlefield.
According to the live coverage, the IMF chief said the most hopeful scenario now includes a growth downgrade, and that even in the best-case outcome there would not be a neat or clean return to the status quo.
The blog also reports criticism of the Australian government’s response so far. In particular, it notes that previous statements from Penny Wong, whether describing the situation as concerning or gravely concerning, have not had any effect.
Pressure over Israeli arms contracts
The live blog highlights calls to cancel more than a billion dollars in Israeli arms contracts. That move, the report says, would respond to the moral concerns surrounding Israeli military attacks and would also place material pressure on Israel to pull back from what is described as a disastrous, illegal and immoral war in Lebanon that is threatening global peace.
The post also says Australia should not be buying weapons that have been tested by Israeli defence manufacturers in conflicts such as Gaza and Lebanon, and should not be contributing any weapons parts.
Supporters of that position argue the financial and military relationship should be reconsidered immediately. The blog says that cancelling the contracts would make clear to Israel that there is a direct and real cost to its actions.
Political and global backdrop
The source item appears in the context of wider Australian political news, with the live blog also covering other developments including Anthony Albanese’s Singapore visit, fuel crisis concerns, petrol prices, and reactions from Labor and Coalition figures.
It is also framed by the intensifying conflict involving the US, Israel, Iran and Lebanon, which has driven concern in Australia and internationally about security, diplomacy and the economic fallout from a widening war.
The live update format means the situation is still developing, but the overall message from the coverage is clear: the conflict is already having political, moral and economic consequences, and those consequences are likely to continue even if there is a future peace agreement.
