Michaelia Cash: Anthony Albanese knew about Iran attacks but ‘rewarded’ it by backing Palestinian statehoodJoe SpagnoloThe NightlySat, 30 August 2025 9:45AMCommentsComments
Liberal heavyweight Michaelia Cash has blasted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over his support for Palestinian statehood, saying the move had only “rewarded” the Islamic Republic of Iran — which had orchestrated anti-Semitic attacks in Australia.
Days after Australia expelled Iran’s top diplomat in the wake of explosive ASIO findings that Iran had orchestrated the attacks on home soil, Senator Cash questioned when Mr Albanese had first become aware of the investigation.
“What is clear is that the Government had to have known Iran was under investigation for orchestrating anti-Semitic attacks in Australia, before Mr Albanese announced Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood,” she said.
“Recognising a Palestinian state rewards Iran for its campaign of terror against Jews here and abroad.”
Senator Cash made her comments in her address to the WA Liberal state conference in Perth on Saturday.
Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi left Australia on Thursday denying his country was involved in the attacks on Bondi kosher caterer Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in October 2024 and the Adass Synagogue in Melbourne in December last year.
It came after ASIO director-general Mike Burgess on Tuesday said the nation’s spy agency had ruled out any direct involvement by the ambassador — but said it found Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had enlisted middlemen and criminals to mask its involvement in at least two terror attacks.
The Government says the intelligence agencies presented it with evidence on Monday the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was behind the arson attacks.
Mr Albanese announced on August 13 Australia would recognise a Palestinian state.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has long been known to be funding Hamas with weapons and been involved with training.
“For two years the Prime Minister dragged his feet on listing the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) — while our closest partners treated it as a terrorist organisation,” Senator Cash said.
“Albanese hid behind process and consultation. Every month of dithering broadcast weakness to Tehran, to Iran’s proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, and to anyone testing Australia’s resolve.
“That delay hurt real people: it could have killed them, undermined community safety — especially for Jewish Australians — and signalled that Canberra was weak and could be gamed. And now we know it was.”
Senator Cash, in her address to State conference, also said any net zero targets agreed to by the government or the Coalition could not come at the expense of Australian industry and households.
“Saying no to Labor’s net-zero pathway is not saying no to cleaner technologies or a healthier environment,” she said.
“It is about Liberal values — choice, economic strength, practical solutions — and refusing to dump unfair costs on Australian families.
“Labor demands we sacrifice jobs, competitiveness and energy security without a clear, affordable path.
“They say renewables are cheapest, yet we keep selling coal to power China’s factories to make the solar panels and wind turbines we then buy back.”
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails
Read more on The West Australian
