Prime Minister, thank you for joining us.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good evening, Sarah.
FERGUSON: Starting with this incident in Victoria, can I first get your reaction to the deaths of two Victoria police officers who were killed at a rural property trying to execute a warrant?
PRIME MINISTER: This is terrible news, and my heart goes out to the families who are grieving tonight. The men and women who wear blue or wear our uniform take a risk when they go to work each and every day. But this incident is quite horrific and the whole of the police family will also be grieving at this time. Two police officers have lost their life, another has been seriously injured. And police are of course continuing to pursue the action in order to bring the perpetrator to justice.
FERGUSON: Now, the man who they are looking for is alleged, and obviously this is early days, but is alleged to be what's known as a sovereign citizen, that is people who want to live outside of Australia's laws. How much of a threat to our way of life do these beliefs positive pose?
PRIME MINISTER: We've seen this incident, and of course these are just allegations that have been made, but we saw a tragic loss of life in Queensland as well previously. And I attended the funeral service which was so sad of the officers there. We know that the Director-General of ASIO has warned about far-right extremism. This is something that has permeated other nations as well. We see it being multiplied in the United States. The fact that this ideology of not seeing themselves being subject to our laws and our society. We've seen people here in Canberra as well put forward those positions who have demonstrated outside the Parliament. And it is a real concern and ASIO have warned that this threat is very real and that we need to be very vigilant about it.
FERGUSON: I want to move to Iran now. ASIO confirmed today in that press conference with you that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was behind at least two of the violent antisemitic attacks in Australia using criminal proxies. Why would Iran target Australians in this way?
PRIME MINISTER: This is a part of - it's an antisemitic attack. So, it was targeting particularly Jewish Australians. But it was also quite clearly seeking to create fear and terror amongst the Jewish community here in Australia, but also seeking to divide us as well as a society and too was an act of disruption. ASIO and the AFP have done rather extraordinary work to trace the source of the funding of these criminal elements who've been used as tools of the Iranian regime. And it was very clear, the advice that we received yesterday was very specific as well. They've done great work. There's more work to be done. They've said that at least on two occasions, the Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney's eastern suburbs, but the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, both of them are clear, with the evidence, but they suspect, we suspect that there are other occasions as well and those investigations are ongoing.
FERGUSON: Just before we come to the others, I just want to pick you up on that point about funding. So, ASIO was able to trace funds going to Australia via cut-outs all the way back to Iran, is that clear from their investigations?
PRIME MINISTER: That is very clear, that they were able to find clear evidence going back to individuals as well, and were very specific. They have not generalised about this, they have made sure that they can be certain because there's a very serious allegation that we have made. We are asserting that Iran chose to support violent action here in Australia. We speak about foreign interference. This is another level. This is foreign action and foreign violence being committed against Australians, funded and using criminal elements here.
FERGUSON: And in terms of the individuals in Iran, inside the Revolutionary Guard, inside Iran, you actually have the identity of those people who were directing these attacks?
PRIME MINISTER: We certainly have the identity of people who were involved offshore as well as onshore, the elements that were used to carry out these attacks.
FERGUSON: So, at the Iranian end, if you have the names of the individuals involved from the Revolutionary Guard, will you be seeking to sanction those individuals?
PRIME MINISTER: One of the things that we did, Sarah, was act very quickly. Once we had this confirmation, we had appropriate meetings of our internal processes. We put in place a mechanism as well to ensure that the Australian personnel at the embassy in Tehran were removed, because we thought they would be at risk were this to break through the media or through some other form. And then we've acted very quickly by giving notice, they have seven days to leave, four of the personnel, including the Ambassador at the Iranian Embassy. We'll continue to engage in other forms as well. We want to make sure that we continue to investigate. One of the things that my Government's been very careful on, we've briefed the Opposition. I briefed the Victorian and NSW Premier prior to the announcement. We also briefed leaders of the Jewish community just prior to the announcement being made. We want to be careful that anything that we say doesn't disrupt the potential for further evidence of perpetrators being involved.
FERGUSON: Yeah, I understand that. And just to be clear about that question, will you be seeking sanctions against individuals in Iran who are behind this?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll take whatever action is appropriate.
FERGUSON: You just referred to the fact that it was at least these two incidents, that is the incident in Bondi and the attack on the Adass Synagogue in Melbourne. Do you know at this stage how many of the other attacks that we've seen in Australia were carried out at the orders of the Revolutionary Guard?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not in a position to give all of that in information at this time. Suffice to say that we know there have been incidents which have nothing to do with this, domestic, if you like, acts of antisemitism, acts of hatred. The AFP and ASIO will continue to monitor these issues. The ASIO Director-General of course, referred today to his important speech warning of foreign interference in our domestic affairs.
FERGUSON: Now, just on the other attacks, I'm not obviously pressing you for details, I understand you don't want to provide those. But would it be fair to say that the majority of the serious antisemitic attacks were committed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't think that would be fair to say, Sarah, but I don't want to either discount further information when it's appropriate to give that information. One of the things we've been very careful of during all of these incidents is to allow our security agencies, who do a fantastic job as well as the AFP, to do their job. Our job is to support them. And that is what we have been doing.
FERGUSON: Does the Iranian Revolutionary Guard still pose a threat to Australians, especially Jewish Australians?
PRIME MINISTER: I think the exposure of this so clearly and the strong action we have taken, we need to change, legislate our anti-terror legislation in order to bring in the Revolutionary Guard. We will do that on the advice that we've received. We also - the expulsion of an ambassador is, and the closing of our embassy from operations is a very serious step that we have made. And the way that we have declared this so transparently and openly I think puts very much the Revolutionary Guard of Iran in the spotlight. And one of the things that people who engage in this sort of conduct, they want to do it in the dark. Well, the light is on. And the light is on as to their motivations. And we'll continue to do what we have been doing, working hard to keep Australians safe, whoever they are. But we have of course had specific programs of support; increased upgrades for Jewish schools, for synagogues, increased support for the community in order so people can be kept safe.
FERGUSON: But given some of the acts that the Revolutionary Guard have been involved in around the world; kidnapping, attempted murder, murder, targeted assassinations - do you think that you've done enough to make Australia's Jewish community safe from an organisation with so much evil intent?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll work each and every day. And I think we have very much taken what action is open to us. But we'll continue to as well - one of the things that I want to happen, Sarah, is I don't want us to shrink in on ourselves. It's really important that Australians be confident and comfortable with expressing who they are. I met with the Australian Union of Jewish Students here just yesterday, had a wonderful meeting, talking about education and policy and about their future. We need for people to feel safe. One of the great things about our country is our multiculturalism, is the fact that people of different faiths, different backgrounds live side by side in neighbourhoods. And overwhelmingly, we're enriched by the diversity that is modern Australia.
FERGUSON: Now, you've said you've expelled, we know that you've expelled the Iranian Ambassador or given him seven days to leave. Mike Burgess said today that he was not involved in these attacks. Can you confirm he had no knowledge in advance or after the attacks that they had been done at the behest of the Revolutionary Guard?
PRIME MINISTER: That is the advice that ASIO have given us and given the quality and the detail of the advice that we received, the Director-General Burgess' comments are, I believe, accurate.
FERGUSON: ASIO also described the IRGC working with criminals overseas. Layers of criminal cutouts are the words he used. Were any of those intermediate criminals? Were any of those Australians?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not in a position to answer that. We're aware of at least one Sydney individual who's an intermediate, but they'll continue to examine the supply chain, if you like, is almost what it is, but is traced right back to the Revolutionary Guard.
FERGUSON: So, just to be clear. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you quite clearly there. The intermediary. What do we know about the intermediary?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not in a position to identify or comment.
FERGUSON: But just talking about those criminals who are the go-between between the Revolutionary Guard and the criminals carrying out those attacks in Australia, are they, wherever they are, still at large?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not in a position to comment on that. Suffice to say that there was overseas involvement in this, as well as obviously domestic involvement of those who carried out these attacks.
FERGUSON: Just briefly, the Israeli Intelligence Service is known to have significantly penetrated Iran. Did any of the intelligence in this operation come from Israeli sources?
PRIME MINISTER: The basis of the intelligence and the operation was ASIO here and the work that they have done.
FERGUSON: As well as attacks on Jewish and Israeli interests around the world, Iran has also targeted enemies of the regime, especially independent media, and that includes people in the UK, in Europe, around the world, and in Australia. What can you do to protect Iranian dissidents in Australia from the Iranian regime?
PRIME MINISTER: What we will continue to do is to work with the agencies. ASIO are very aware of the activities that have occurred, including to Australians of Iranian descent who've been harassed here. They'll continue to engage and to do what we need to do to keep them safe. My job is to give them whatever power they ask for, and in consultation with our appropriate committees, including our cabinet. And I've made it very clear that I have confidence in our security agencies and in our police. And today, I think it's rather extraordinary, the work that they have done. This is a very complex situation that they have worked through, and they have kept the Government and our appropriate committees informed at regular intervals about the work that's been taking place.
FERGUSON: Prime Minister, thank you very much indeed for joining us.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Sarah.
