EDITORIAL: Albanese must be transparent about Iran war

Finally. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has put to rest the absurd idea that Australia is not involved in the war against Iran.

The acknowledgement came when Mr Albanese confirmed that Australian sailors were aboard the US submarine which sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

It came after stonewalling by a line of ministers, even though it was already quite clear that Australian submariners were training with the US Navy as part of the AUKUS rotations.

The Prime Minister came clean there were three Australian sailors on board the US submarine, even if he then tied himself in knots by declaring “Australian Defence Force personnel, where they’re embedded in third countries’ defence assets, they act in accordance with Australian law, with Australian policy.” A strange claim at best.

It is a puzzle why it took nearly a week to confirm how involved Australia is in this war.

The Nightly had revealed on Monday that Al Minhad Airbase outside Dubai, used by Australian forces in the Middle East, had been hit by Iranian strikes over the weekend.

In Parliament on Monday Defence Minister Richard Marles discussed Australia’s military presence at the Al Minhad facility but chose not to disclose the attack.

The Nightly then revealed on Wednesday that two US P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance planes arrived at Perth’s RAAF Base Pearce on Monday afternoon after flying from the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The Government danced around the reality, even as the US and Israel offered regular updates — including releasing video footage of the sub’s strike, another strike on a drone carrier, and of an Israeli jet downing an Iranian warplane.

But what did we think the Aussies were doing at the airbase in Dubai? Sitting at their desks playing Counter-Strike?

And then there’s the secretive joint intelligence base at Pine Gap, near Alice Springs.

And the Harold E. Holt naval communications station at Exmouth in WA’s north west jointly run with the US.

What do we think that has been doing? Watching re-runs of The Dish?

It was quite obvious we were involved. Mr Albanese should not resile from supporting the strike on Iran. Nor should he try to hide our involvement in the war.

The public has a right to know what’s going on. It’s time for a dose of realpolitik. Australia’s security has been tied to the US since World War II and remains so. The AUKUS program which has placed our sailors in US facilities is a key part of that.

While warfare is a last resort, the ultimate use of a submarine is warfare. If and when we come under threat we must be ready.

The Australians on that submarine are learning and preparing for exactly that.

That is why they are there. And why other Australians are working with the US in other capacities.

And let’s remember this. The world will be a safer place when the Iranian regime is gone.

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore.