Danby slams Labor over Iran stance

Michael Danby has fired a broadside at his former Labor colleagues over the Albanese government’s pronouncements on Israeli and US intervention in Iran.

In an interview with The AJN after he addressed a JNF Gold Patrons luncheon in Melbourne on June 26, the former Member for Melbourne Ports (now Macnamara) took the government to task over its repeated calls for “dialogue” and “de-escalation”, calling these “completely inappropriate for the circumstances”.

“Should we have left Hitler in his bunker and kept talking about dialogue?” said Danby, describing Australia’s stance over Israel’s 12 days of bombardments and the US bunker-buster missions as “just so out of touch — politically Australia has lost all credibility”.

Asked about Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s responses to the US-Israeli operation in Iran and her other Middle East policies, Danby was adamant. “She comes out with all of these inappropriate comments in the middle of a war when you have to decide what side you’re on, and not only that, she’s jeopardising the interests of Australia.”

Emphasising he rejects the views of Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Danby said Wong’s application of Magnitsky-style sanctions against the pair was ironic, as the Foreign Minister initially opposed the introduction of these types of sanctions in Australia.