Leeser urges Labor to offer asylum to Iranian women’s football team – as it happened

Australia may offer military support to Gulf nations facing Iran strikes but won’t participate in a ground war, Wong says Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast And that’s where we’ll leave you this Sunday. Here’s a snapshot from today: Australia is not participating in an “offensive action against Iran” and will not deploy ground troops, but may play a defensive military role in the conflict in the Middle East, Penny Wong said. Nine direct flights have repatriated 1,549 Australians from the Middle East as of 5.30am, with five more en route to Australia from Dubai today. The shadow attorney general, Julian Leeser, has called for the Australian government to offer asylum to the Iranian women’s football team now competing in the Women’s Asian Cup on the Gold Coast. Flooding continues throughout the Top End, with the entire community of Nauiyu (Daly River) evacuated and Katherine still cut off. Emergency declarations remain in place for the Katherine, Beswick and Daly River regions, but Beswick has been downgraded to a watch and act alert. About 1000 people are taking shelter from the floods in the Northern Territory. In Queensland, a severe weathe