Portfolio — 12 April 2026

Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman drew a clear line on Australia's military posture in the Middle East on 12 April, stating that Australia will not participate in any US military blockade or counter-blockade in the region — even if formally requested by the United States [TA-260413-pmc-b966f6c70b14]. Gorman framed Australia's role as that of a non-combatant seeking to support negotiations, hold the ceasefire, and preserve freedom of navigation for shipping [TA-260413-pmc-b966f6c70b14].

The statement is notable for its directness: it pre-empts any ambiguity about whether alliance obligations might draw Australia into active enforcement operations, and it anchors the government's position firmly on diplomatic and maritime channels rather than military ones.

On domestic energy policy, Gorman defended the government's $20 million fuel security advertising campaign, arguing it is necessary to educate Australians about the National Fuel Security Plan and practical fuel-saving measures he said can cut fuel costs by 15 per cent or more [TA-260413-pmc-b966f6c70b14]. The campaign has attracted scrutiny over its cost, and Gorman's defence — grounding it in consumer savings and energy security rationale — indicates the government is prepared to hold the line on the spend.

Gorman also used the media release to commend the Shadow Assistant Minister for Energy Security, Garth Hamilton, for taking a public stance against One Nation's employment of a convicted sex offender, characterising Hamilton's position as setting an appropriate standard for parliament [TA-260413-pmc-b966f6c70b14]. The cross-partisan commendation is an unusual move and signals the government's intent to frame this as a parliamentary standards issue rather than a partisan one.