Australian news and politics live: Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed to Canberra

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has used a short address at Parliament House on Wednesday during his post-Bondi attack visit to wish Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu “success” in their meeting today.

“I will conclude by wishing President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, who are meeting today at the White House, to discuss a very important international regional and Israeli matter, which means the Iranian-American negotiations,” he said.

“To wish them success in bringing peace and undermining that empire of evil emanating from Tehran, and also discussing the next phase in Gaza which is important to all of us, which I hope will bring a better future for all of us”.

Anthony Albanese added to Mr Herzog’s remarks to raise his government’s actions against Iran after ASIO late last year alleged Iran orchestrated at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia.

“I stood in this very courtyard and announced the expulsion of the Iranian Ambassador due to the direct evidence that we had of the involvement in the Revolutionary Guard in atrocities that had occurred in our nation, Australia, the first time we have expelled an Ambassador since the second world war,” the PM said.

“We needed to take that action because the Iranian regime have also now, of course, been in recent times oppressing their own people.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Israeli President Isaac Herzog have spoken at Parliament House in Canberra about the importance of their nations’ relationship.

The Israeli head of state’s visit came at the invitation of the PM in the wake of the Bondi terror attack in December.

Speaking in the PM’s courtyard backgrounded by flags from both nations, Mr Albanese said that he planned to raise a wide range of topics with Mr Herzog in a closed-door face-to-face this afternoon.

“It’s also been an opportunity for us to engage on issues,” Mr Albanese said.

“I look forward to a further discussion about the Middle East. We in Australia want to see peace in the Middle East, we want to see Israelis and Palestinians living side by side, in peace and security as we go forward.”

Mr Herzog said the visit had been “very emotional”, adding “It is also an opportunity to bring the relations between our nations on a new beginning and a better future”.

He’s also expected to meet with Speaker Milton Dick and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Wednesday afternoon.

Independent MP Sophie Scamps has skipped parliamentary Question Time in protest of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia.

Ms Scamps said in a statement she “deeply disagrees” with the visit and warned that the invitation “normalises the atrocities that have occurred in Gaza over the past two years”.

Fellow independents Warringa MP Zali Steggall, Curtin MP Kate Chaney, and Monique Ryan were in the chamber, however, they have all expressed concerns over the visit.

Ms Steggall, who has previously stated the invitation shouldn’t have been made, used her question to press the PM on the state visit.

Independent Senator David Pocock has also said the Government should “admit this was a mistake”, given the Israeli President’s visit had further fractured social cohesion.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he’s raised concerns over the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza with Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his state visit to Australia in the wake of the Bondi massacre.

“Australia has increased our aid for and we will continue to,” the PM told QT.

“We have spoken about humanitarian aid as well with the Israeli government and with the Israeli President.

“The issue of the protection decoration is about honouring the courage and kindness of Zomi Frankcom and her fellow aid workers.

“We honour Zomi and we say to her family that our sincere condolences on what is a tragic loss and we will continue to work each and every day to do our best to ensure there is transparency and there is appropriate action.

“I must say the Israeli President has said he will engage and come back to the Australian Government about the issues that we have raised.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed he has used the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to raise concerns over the war in Gaza and mentioned the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.

His remarks came after a question from Warringa independent Zali Steggall, who asked if the government would push for an independent war crimes investigation into her death and what accountability the PM would request of Mr Herzog.

“One of the issues that I have raised is Zomi and her six World Central Kitchen colleagues. These deaths were a tragedy and an outrage,” the PM said.

“We have made it clear that remains the Australian Government’s position and we’ve also made clear our expectation that there be transparency about Israel’s ongoing investigation into the incident. We continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges.”

Speaker Milton Dick gave a stern warning to MPs to improve their behaviour and mind their language ahead of Question Time starting.

He notes that it has been a “particularly combative week” but says no matter the pressures inside the chamber or outside of it, politicians should be setting the standard of behaviour.

The Speaker warned that he had stronger powers in this term to boot people out for bad behaviour.

He then gave the floor to independent Allegra Spender, who said people contact her all the time to say if they behaved as politicians did at their own workplaces, schools or community groups, they’d be thrown out.

“People are sick of politicians saying, ‘Do as I say not as I do’,” she said.

Two more Chinese nationals have been charged with foreign interference offences over alleged links to a spying plot against a Buddhist community organisation in Canberra.

The Australian Federal Police and ASIO have announced that a 25-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman are expected to face the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday, each charged with one count of “reckless foreign interference” under the Criminal Code.

“The AFP will allege the pair worked with the woman charged in August, 2025, under the direction of a Public Security Bureau in China, to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association,” the statement said.

AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said foreign interference is a serious crime that undermines democracy and social cohesion.

“Australia is not immune to foreign interference, and we should not expect this arrest will prevent further attempts to target our diaspora communities,” Assistant Commissioner Nutt said.

Read the full story.

Isaac Herzog, Sam Mostyn and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles posed for photos in the drawing room of Government House, where Mr Herzog signed the welcome book.

Anthony Albanese did not attend the talks; it’s understood this is because he is slated to meet the Israeli President later this afternoon.

Ms Mostyn said she was delighted to welcome Mr Herzog and his wife to Government House and presented a photo of Mr Herzog’s father, Chaim Herzog, during his trip to Australia in 1986.

Mr Herzog said he was “honoured to see his father’s photo here”.

Ms Mostyn described Government House as a “place of peace where all are welcome”.

“I think it’s terribly important your visit stands with those who are grieving,” she said.

Mr Herzog said both Australia and Israel “share the need to fight anti-Semitism with no doubts… so we uproot this phenomenon,” adding that he shares “the hope that we can bring the relations between our nations on a renewed path”.

Read the full story.

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has joined protesters in front of Parliament House, denouncing Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit.

The senator has accused him of being a war criminal, condemned Anthony Albanese for inviting and hosting him, and labelled Labor MPs as “cowardly politicians” who are trying to “gaslight” the Australian public.

“The Prime Minister is going to warmly welcome and shake the hand of a war criminal in here today who has signed… and autographed bombs which will kill Palestinians,” she told the crowd of hundreds.

“I have long lost respect for the Albanese Government, but never in even my wildest dreams could I have imagined that they could reach such a low…. and then to turn around and lecture us about ‘social cohesion’. Labor has shown exactly who they are.”

“The cowardly politicians in that building behind us gaslight us. They don’t want us to believe our own eyes, but they will never stop us. They will never stop us from telling the truth.”

While Isaac Herzog poses for photos with Governor-General Sam Mostyn, at nearby Parliament House a couple of hundred protesters have gathered out the front.

Greens MPs attended the rally, as did independent senator David Pocock, who earlier today said the Government should “admit this was a mistake” given the Israeli President’s visit had further fractured social cohesion.

Speakers at the rally say a representative of a “genocidal maniac state” shouldn’t have the “red carpet rolled out” by the Albanese Government.