Portfolio — 13 June 2026

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite used a media interview on 12 June to frame the Middle East conflict explicitly as a domestic cost-of-living issue, arguing that the stop-start nature of the war is pushing up petrol prices and flowing through to groceries and household costs [TA-260612-dfat-d7d41a5c8b34]. He said the government wants the conflict resolved quickly and hopes for a ceasefire, but is simultaneously preparing for a prolonged war by securing adequate fuel supplies for domestic commitments [TA-260612-dfat-d7d41a5c8b34].

That dual-track message — ceasefire diplomacy alongside practical fuel-security preparation — directly continues the line Thistlethwaite set in Cairns, where he announced a 39.4-million-litre diesel buffer for regional Queensland [TA-260612-dfat-d7d41a5c8b34]. Together, the two appearances form a coherent public messaging sequence connecting foreign policy developments to household economic pressures.

On defence, Thistlethwaite affirmed that the AUKUS submarine program is meeting its milestones, citing the rotation of US Marines and UK submariners training alongside Australian personnel and describing infrastructure work in South Australia as progressing [TA-260612-dfat-d7d41a5c8b34]. He also directly addressed a potential pressure point — the recent resignation of the UK Defence Secretary — dismissing it as having no effect on Australia's AUKUS partnership [TA-260612-dfat-d7d41a5c8b34].

The remarks signal that the government is actively monitoring allied political instability for its programme implications and moving quickly to publicly close down any uncertainty about delivery continuity.