Australian One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce faced a gruelling live TV interview on ABC's 7.30 programme, which was marred by awkward exchanges and repeated interruptions from his dog. The contentious segment centred around party leader Pauline Hanson's decision to meet with Tommy Robinson, a convicted far-right activist who has courted controversy in the UK for inciting racial tensions.
Host Sarah Ferguson pressed Joyce on whether Hanson's move effectively endorsed a figure with an extensive criminal record, condemned by UK authorities. Joyce acknowledged that Robinson had committed actions 'basically against the law', but then shifted focus to blaming 'Balkanisation' and 'massive problems' in Bondi. This tone-setting remark was swiftly followed by a series of awkward exchanges as the dog's disruptions forced Joyce to instruct it to 'sit down!' and later apologise for its behaviour.
The tension escalated when Joyce, interrupted again while discussing potential mass deportations, told Ferguson: 'Don't be rude. Don't be rude. Otherwise, this interview will come to a grinding halt, Sarah.'
Meanwhile, the Australian Labor Party is facing criticism over its draft policy platform on Palestine, which will be debated at its national conference this week. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) has condemned the draft for failing to acknowledge 'the Palestinian genocide', urging Labor to take 'real, urgent action'.
Responding to the draft, the Israeli embassy in Canberra issued a scathing four-page statement criticising proposed positions on Palestine, Hamas, and settler violence. The embassy argued that the draft unfairly blames Israel for the Gaza conflict while neglecting Hamas's role.
This 2026 draft platform marks a significant departure from its 2023 predecessor, reflecting shifts in government policy following Hamas’ October attack and Israel’s subsequent military actions in Gaza. APAN President Nasser Mashni has urged Australia to 'reckon with the obligations that flow from its recognition of Palestine' and impose 'wide-ranging and wholesale sanctions' on the Israeli regime and entities associated with the settlement enterprise.
Mashni's call comes after the International Court of Justice ruled in July 2024 that Israel’s presence in Palestine is unlawful, making Australia bound by these findings. He highlighted the need for a clear 'red line' to be drawn on genocide and Australian complicity in it, as per the ICJ Advisory Opinion.