Australian news and politics recap June 20: Anthony Albanese not attending NATO summit in The Netherlands

Shadow finance spokesperson James Paterson has backed a diplomacy first approach in dealing with Iran.

“Australia’s interests in this issue are very clear - we should want Iran’s nuclear enrichment program to come to an end and the best way for it to come to an end would be via a diplomatic resolution where the Iranian regime agreed to stop enriching nuclear material beyond those necessary for civilian needs and dismantled its last intact enrichment plant at Fordow,” he said on ABC.

“I hope that’s successful. I think time will tell. People will be reasonably sceptical with their willingness to cooperate.”

Asked if he supported military action if diplomacy failed, Mr Paterson said it was not up to him to endorse pre-emptively any decision that the US President might make about a military strike on the nuclear facility at Fordow.

“But I think it is very clear that Australia’s interests are that Iran stop enriching uranium.”

He continued, “I understand why Israel, for example, regard this is as an existential threat, why many countries in the Middle East regard it as a serious threat, and Australia shares their interest in dismantling this program.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced his ambition for economic and tax reform, and while he remains tight lipped about what’s on the table, he has ruled out two key changes.

“Obviously there are some things that governments, sensible, middle of the road, centrist governments like ours don’t consider,” Mr Chalmers told The Conversation’s Michelle Grattan.

“We don’t consider inheritance taxes, we don’t consider changing the arrangements for the family home, those sorts of things.”

Mr Chalmers said he believes limiting the narrative to “ruling things in or ruling things out” has a “corrosive impact” on policy debate, but conceded to ruling out the historically controversial taxes.

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A $1.5 million loan has been granted to former state Liberal leader John Pesutto, with the fractured party desperate to draw a line under a long-running defamation saga.

The Victorian Liberals’ administrative committee met on Thursday night and agreed to lend former leader John Pesutto $1.55 million to settle his debt to first-term MP Moira Deeming.

The Hawthorn MP was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-nazis.

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The number of Australians looking to leave Iran and the escalating crisis with Israel has spiked overnight.

As of this morning, just over 2000 Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members are registered as wanting to depart Iran. Yesterday that figure was 1500.

In Israel, just over 1200 citizens, permanent residents and immediate family have registered as wanting to leave.

The conflict between Israel and Iran erupted a week ago, when the former launched an attack against the Islamic republic’s missile capabilities, claiming it was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.

Australia has closed its embassy in Tehran, as Iran and Israel continue to bomb each other and after US President Donald Trump signalled the US could enter the conflict.

All foreign affairs staff and their dependents in the Iranian capital have been told to leave “based on advice about the deteriorating security environment”.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is deploying consular staff to Azerbaijan, including its border crossings, to support Australians departing Iran.

“We urge Australians who are able to leave Iran to do so now, if it is safe,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

“Those who are unable to, or do not wish to leave, are advised to shelter in place.”

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