Australia is not considering joining an upcoming US blockade of the strait of Hormuz, the federal defence industry minister says, at least for now.
Pat Conroy told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing there has been no request, and that the government’s position would not be shifting under pressure—because, he said, Australia is not a party to the war between Iran and the US and has taken no part in offensive actions. He also declined to say whether the naval blockade would amount to an escalation, adding only that he wasn’t going to provide commentary like that.
The push and pull around that position is showing up quickly, as opposition figures urge a more flexible approach if Washington ever asks directly. The shadow education minister, Julian Lesser, told Misryoum’s newsroom team that Pat sounded “confused” in Conroy’s interview. Lesser argued that if the most important ally asks, Australia should at least consider the request properly.
Beneath the defence debate, the day’s wider picture in Australia looked tied to the same underlying anxiety: supply chains, fuel, and the economics of uncertainty. Energy minister Chris Bowen said 57 ships carrying various types of fuel—crude oil, jet fuel, diesel and petrol—are on their way to Australia, “about standard” for this time of year. His comments came as the federal government prepares a push overseas, with prime minister Anthony Albanese and foreign affairs minister Penny Wong set to visit Brunei and Malaysia this week. The stated aim is to shore up Australia’s supply of diesel, fertiliser and other critical goods in the wake of shortages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.
Markets reacted in a more blunt way. The Australian share market dropped sharply this morning after US-Iran peace talks broke down and Donald Trump said the navy would blockade the strait of Hormuz.
That blockade threat also fed into fuel and price nerves beyond politics. Petrol prices are reported to be below 220 cents a litre in most cities and diesel prices are easing as a rapid wholesale price spike unwinds. Uber meanwhile will add a fuel surcharge to its non-EV fares for almost two months starting from Wednesday, in response to petrol price rises. It’s also worth remembering the small fine print: Misryoum newsroom reported that the surcharge will not apply to electric vehicles.
Elsewhere, the government’s broader agenda kept moving. Defence appointments were announced, including Susan Coyle to be chief of army—the first time a woman has held the position. And as ministers trade roles, Victorian politics stayed restless too: Mary-Anne Thomas, Danny Pearson, and Gayle Tierney all said they would not contest the November state election. In Melbourne, meanwhile, an eye-catching neon “skipping girl” sign was temporarily replaced with a “scrolling girl” as part of a term-long skipping challenge in 270 schools, aiming to highlight the consequences of childhood being dominated by screens—something you could almost feel in the air around the sign, the faint hum of city traffic blending with the idea that play is being replaced.
Even the energy market discussion is now starting to sound like it’s bracing for a longer rupture. Misryoum newsroom reported that CBA’s Vivek Dhar said the international oil benchmark will “be marching” towards US$140 a barrel over coming weeks after Trump’s threat to blockade Hormuz. The analysis points to a growing mismatch between financial benchmarks and the physical market, where prices may already be higher—though the timing, of course, depends on how Iranian barrels are affected if the strait is effectively shut. And that’s where the day’s defence stance loops back again, slightly: if Canberra isn’t considering joining a blockade, the wider economic effects are still arriving through the same narrow chokepoint—just from a distance.
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