Senator Penny Wong

At a time of major global uncertainty working in close partnership with New Zealand has never been more important. @RichardMarlesMP and I were pleased to host our NZ friends, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins for our annual ANZMIN consultations.

Australia and Cambodia share a longstanding partnership and a commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region. I was pleased to welcome @Prak_Sokhonn to Canberra to discuss our economic, development and regional priorities, and our support for ASEAN's role in our region.

The Middle East conflict is likely to continue & could escalate. Even transiting a ‘Do not travel’ travel hub puts your safety at risk. Airports have been targeted. You may be unable to leave. Check your itinerary for ‘Do not travel’ stops. Read more: smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updat…

@dfat Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre: +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas 1300 555 135 in Australia.

Registrations for @dfat’s Crisis Portal are open for Australians in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Qatar and the UAE. crisis.dfat.gov.au/crisisportal/s/

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has directed the departure of non-essential Australian officials posted to Lebanon, due to the deteriorating security situation. A small number of Australian officials will remain in-country to provide consular support to Australians.

Wonderful to welcome Estonian Foreign Minster @Tsahkna to discuss our shared interests in peace, security and prosperity, in the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.

At this challenging time, we remain focused on supporting Australians in need. We have been advised by Emirates and Etihad Airlines that the following direct flights to Australia are planned for tomorrow FRIDAY 13 March From Dubai (DXB) EK406 to Melbourne dpt 1000 EK412 to Sydney dpt 1015 From Abu Dhabi (AUH) EY 454 to Sydney dpt 2255 You can book on Emirates.com or Etihad.com or through their contact centres We note that Etihad airlines has scheduled several direct flights to Australia in coming days. Be aware that flight schedules are subject to change, and there may be delays to departure times. If you can secure a commercial flight, we urge you to do so. Customers are advised to check flight status, review the latest operational updates the airlines’ websites, and check their emails for any notifications about changes or cancellations to their flights before travelling to the airport. We continue to work closely with airlines and the UAE authorities to make more options available and we are grateful for their cooperation and efforts to schedule additional flights.

@dfat Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre: +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas 1300 555 135 in Australia.

Registrations for @dfat’s Crisis Portal are open for Australians in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, Israel, Qatar and the UAE. crisis.dfat.gov.au/crisisportal/s/

The Australian Government has directed the departure of non-essential Australian officials posted to Israel and the UAE, due to the deteriorating security situation. Essential Australian officials will remain in-country to support Australians who need it.

We are concerned this regional conflict is likely to continue and could escalate.​ If you wish to leave the Middle East, do not wait until it is too late.​ Leave now while commercial flights are available.

The crisis registration portal is open for Australians in Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon and the UAE. We advise Do Not Travel to most destinations in the Middle East. If you need urgent consular assistance call +61 2 6261 3305 (overseas) or 1300 555 135 (Australia)

We have been working around the clock to support Australians impacted by these cancellations. As of this morning, more than 2,600 Australians have returned on 18 commercial flights – with further services scheduled in the coming days.

We know this has been such a difficult time for many Australians in the Middle East. Since 28 February, more than 27,000 flights passing through the region have been cancelled, with an estimated 4.4 million airline seats removed from schedules.

Last night I spoke with my counterpart @MBA_AlThani_ to convey Australia’s solidarity with Qatar in the face of Iran's attacks. I thank Qatar for working closely with DFAT officials to assist Australians departing the region at this challenging time.

Sharing some important information regarding flights to Australia from the UAE. To book seats please visit Emirates.com or Etihad.com

During this challenging and uncertain time, the safety and security of Australians is our first priority. We’re working closely with our partners, including Canada, to support Australians who want to leave the Middle East.