Kieran Gilbert, Host: Let's go live to the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite, who joins us. Minister, thanks for your time. Do we know how many Australians we're talking about in the region right now, and how, I mean, it's hard to say definitively, but what sort of timeline are we talking about for them to get out?
Matt Thistlethwaite, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Yeah, Kieran, overnight, we updated our travel advisory through the Smartraveller website for the family members and dependents of officials who are working in Israel and Lebanon. We've advised them to leave. We're talking about dozens there. And in terms of Australians more broadly, we've also updated the travel advisory and asked people to reconsider the need to travel to that area. Obviously, there's a lot of tension in the Middle East at the moment and the situation is very unpredictable. And the Australian Government's approach is to take a precautionary view. So, this is for the abundance of caution, we think it's wise that officials, family members, get out of there, but importantly that Australians who are thinking of going there to reconsider.
Gilbert: And if you're there already, what's the advice? Is it to maximise the opportunities on commercial flights where you can and where they're available right now?
Assistant Minister: Yeah, obviously for officials, families, we will support them in their return to Australia. For the broader population, it's a reconsider travel there, so if you're thinking about going there, you might want to rethink that. If you're there already, then obviously our view is that the situation is unpredictable and there may be closures of airspace in the area in the future, and that may hamper people's ability to return home if things do turn, turn bad in the Middle East. So, people have to make their own decisions. But it would be wise to think about returning home if you're already there.
Gilbert: One of the challenges when you're dealing with countries like Lebanon, Israel, that region, they're so used to having this sort of geopolitical volatility. Even those visiting loved ones, they unfortunately might, might not take heed of the urgency of this, given they're so used to the turbulence of that region.
Assistant Minister: You're right, Kieran. Unfortunately, it's been a characteristic of the Middle East for decades, and many people are used to that risk. But the Australian Government, we obviously have a responsibility to make sure that we take the abundance of caution when we're making recommendations on our Smartraveller website for Australians. And that's the approach that we have taken here. We're taking the most cautious approach possible to ensure that we can keep Australians as safe as possible.
Gilbert: Okay, well, we appreciate you giving us that advice to our viewers today. Thanks, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite --
Assistant Minister: Thanks, Kieran.
Gilbert: Talking about that advice to Australian diplomats, but also travellers to the Middle East, to get out if you can, given the likelihood of a strike over coming days on Iran and the flow on effects from that.