Australian news and politics live: Wong explains sanctions on Israeli Ministers over inciting violence
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The Socceroos will head to a sixth consecutive World Cup after beating Saudi Arabia 2-1 to complete an incredible turnaround in qualifying.
After their upset 1-0 win over Japan, the Socceroos only needed to avoid defeat by less than five goals in their final game in Jeddah to seal automatic World Cup finals qualification for the first time in 12 years.
Saudi forward Abdulrahman Al-Aboud scored in the 19th minute at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium to make things tense.
But striker Mitch Duke teed up Connor Metcalfe to equalise in the 42nd minute, before putting Australia in front in the 48th.
Read the full story here.
Australia has issued travel bans and financial sanctions against two high-ranking Israeli government ministers after accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the sanctions in a joint statement alongside her counterparts representing the governments of Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
'(National Security Minister) Itamar Ben-Gvir and (Finance Minister) Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,' the joint statement said.
'Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.
'These actions are not acceptable.'
Read the full story here.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has addressed the nation's decision to impose sanctions on two Israeli ministers for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The sanctions target National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government.
'We have not taken this decision lightly,' she told Sunrise on Wednesday.
'This is a decision we have made after a long process of deliberation and consideration, and that we are taking in conjunction with other partners, with the United Kingdom, with New Zealand, with Canada and, of course, with others.
'We're doing that because we are all deeply concerned about the extremist settler enterprise of the Netanyahu government.
'Why are we concerned about that now? We are concerned about it because it is undermining the prospects of two states and ultimately we, along with those other countries and the broader international community, believe we can only see peace in the Middle East when we deal with two states and when both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security.'
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