Interview with Monique Wright and Matt Shirvington, Sunrise

Transcript, E&OE Subjects: Middle East conflict, migration, One Nation. 11 June 2026 Monique Wright, Host: We're joined now by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong. Good morning to you Penny Wong, great to see you. Look, it seems that we're almost back to square one in terms of the war.

Are you frustrated with Donald Trump that he started this war and is finding it very difficult to end it? Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs: Good morning. It's good to be with you here and speaking to you from London, of course.

Can I say in relation to the Middle East, we want a negotiated solution. We want a negotiated end to the conflict. That's what we've called for.

That's what we're pressing for. And in our engagement here today, Richard Marles and myself with the United Kingdom, also with France yesterday and Germany the day before, all of us spoke about the importance of doing everything we could to support this conflict coming to an end. Because as you said, it's hitting Australians hard.

It's contributing to increases in the cost of living, not just through the price of fuel but the way in which that goes throughout our economy. So, we want to see an end to this. Matt Shirvington, Host : Minister, can I ask you about Europe at the moment?

Because tensions over migration have hit boiling point. Large parts of Belfast literally on fire this morning. Those large groups of protesters rallying against high levels of migration.

It's a debate that, you know, we have here in Australia at the moment as well. What are we doing to make sure that something like this doesn't happen here? Foreign Minister: Well, first, I would make the point that all leaders need to stand against violence.

Whatever our differences of view, whatever policy discussion, whatever the argument we have about what should or shouldn't happen, violence is never acceptable. And all political leaders of all parties should always put that view. So, let's start with that.

In terms of migration, I think we've had this conversation before. You know that net migration has dropped 45% from its peak. You would also know that the permanent migration number has remained steady for a long period of time.

What we do need to do is ensure that we continue to invest in housing, because that is one of the areas where the issues of migration really most come to the fore. And that's one of the things the government has been doing. Okay, let's talk about One Nation now.

Pauline Hanson has managed to raise almost $1.6 million in just 24 hours for her 'Fire the Liar' campaign. This was in response to Labor's campaign asking people to donate $27. Then she came through with this and has absolutely blitzed it in just 24 hours.

This really shows that people are willing to put their money where their mouth is and votes could go that way as well. What are the conversations like and the meetings like within the Labor Caucus about what to do about One Nation? Foreign Minister : I'm not so interested in One Nation's fundraising.

I'm interested in One Nation's politics and One Nation's policies and the fact that they do look to provoke anger, but they provide no solutions. And most of the time, from what I've seen in the Senate, they simply vote with the Liberal Party. And what we've seen today, in fact, is revelations that they're working together.

So, what I'd say to Australians is, if you think you're voting for One Nation for change, what's actually going to happen is a vote for One Nation is a vote for the Liberals and a vote for the Liberals is a vote for One Nation. That doesn't seem to be landing, though, does it? They just keep building support.

Foreign Minister: Well, we will keep doing what we are doing, which is working to deliver change that matters, real change that does something in people's lives, whether it's delivering on Medicare or the minimum wage or protecting penalty rates or delivering tax cuts. All the work that we're doing over here with Deputy Prime Minister Marles and me here in London and in Germany and in France, we're building stronger relationships because in a world that is much more contested, that goes directly to Australia's security.

Shirvington: Okay, Penny Wong, appreciate your time. Foreign Minister: