Skip to main content
Penny Wong

Penny Wong

Published October 15, 2024

Who is Penny Wong?

Penny Wong is Senator from South Australia currently serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Albanese Labor Government. She also serves as the leader of the Government in the Senate. She is responsible for agencies including:

  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
  • Austrade
  • Australian Secret Intelligence Service.

In this role Penny Wong has the power and responsibility to:

  • Apply sanctions to foreign nationals accused or convicted of crimes.
  • Suspend trade relations with countries.
  • “Protect international rules” (DFAT’s website).
  • Manage embassies, consular services and evacuations.

So how have Penny Wong and her office navigated the last 12 months, as we have witnessed daily horrific images on our phones and the most documented genocide of all time?

Defunded UNRWA

Earlier this year, Australia froze funding to UNWRA over claims made by israel that staff were involved in October 7 – despite UNWRA terminating the contracts of the staff members allegedly involved immediately (prior to withdrawal of funding). This decision unfairly prejudiced against UNWRA based on an accusation against nine employees out of roughly 30,000. Withdrawal of funding had real material impacts on UNWRA’s capacity to deliver essential aid to Gazan’s at risk of starvation imposed by israel.

No sanctions applied to israel or any idividual perpetrators of genocide in Gaza

Penny’s office has released multiple statements about “counter-terrorism financing sanctions” placed on persons and entities “linked to Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad”. They have sanctioned seven israeli settlers responsible for violence in the West Bank, but where are the sanctions on israeli individuals, politicians, groups, or the state at large, which is responsible for the genocide in Gaza, killing thousands of Palestinians? To date 40,000 deaths have been confirmed, but estimates are now in the hundreds of thousands.

United Nations votes

In September 2024 the UN passed a resolution (124 votes to 14) demanding that israel end its unlawful presence in Gaza and the West Bank within a year. Australia abstained from the vote. Penny Wong has expressed “regret” that Australia was “unable to vote” for the resolution, claiming that Australia had sought changes. She has not shared details on what the issues were nor what amendments were sought.

Weak language and continual centring of israel’s interests over Palestinians’

Penny Wong has repeatedly used passive language to describe the active killing and targeting of Palestinians by Israel. In response to the IOF killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, her office said “Australia is pressing Israel to reform its coordination with humanitarian organisations to protect civilians and aid workers.”

During a press conference on her January trip to israel, Penny Wong reiterated Australia’s “solidarity” with israel and “support for Israel's security and its right to defend itself in the face of terrorism”. But, don’t worry! She also expressed “strong concerns about the civilian death toll and the dire humanitarian situation”. When asked by a journalist whether israel is breaking international law, she replied “No, I am simply saying we are a democracy...So, too is Israel.” And when posed this question: “There are a significant number of Australian-Israelis who are fighting inside Gaza at the moment. Has the government sought any advice, legal advice, about the legalities of them fighting there if Israel has breached any international humanitarian law?” Penny replies “No. Anything else?”

Double standards

It’s not hard to notice the double standards between how Penny describes Russia-Ukraine compared to Israel-Palestine. In her office’s latest media release about Ukraine (June) she states “Australia strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will continue to support Ukraine to end the war on its own terms. She condemns Russia’s invasion calling it “illegal and immoral”. This media release mentions Russia as the perpetrator five times. Meanwhile the strongest language in her latest media release (September) about Palestine is “Australia is gravely concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.” This release mentions Israel 0 times.

Penny has imposed strong sanctions on Iran and just recently put out a strong statement on the treatment of women in Afghanistan saying “We will not stand by and allow the situation in Afghanistan to become a 'new normal'”. In contrast, she’s yet to express anything more robust than being “deeply concerned” or “alarmed” as Palestinian corpses pile higher and despite most casualties being women and children.

Penny condemned political speeches and protesters showing images of Hezbollah officials and/or flags, tweeting “We condemn any indication of support for a terrorist organisation such as Hezbollah” and claiming it “threatens national security”. No such condemnation has been expressed for those indicating they support genocide or Israel as it commits genocide.

Referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC)

In March, senior Australian politicians, including PM Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong, were referred to the ICC for investigation into whether they have aided or supported Israel’s actions in Gaza. It is the first time any serving Australian political leaders have been formally referred to the ICC. Specifically, the law firm references:

  • Australia’s freezing of aid to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the aid agency that operates in Gaza
  • the provision of military aid to israel that could have been used in the alleged commission of genocide and crimes against humanity
  • permitting Australians to travel to israel to take part in attacks in Gaza providing “unequivocal political support” for israel’s actions in Gaza.

References

UNRWA. “Investigation Completed into Allegations of UNRWA Staff Participation on 7 October.” P Wong.

“Media Releases.” DFAT, Australian Government.

Crikey. “Australia Is in Israel's Pocket on Gaza.” 20 Sept. 2024.

J Massola. “‘We Wanted to Vote Yes’: Australia’s Regret over UN Palestine Vote.” SMH, 18 Sept. 2024.

A D Moses. “Why Albanese and Others Referred to ICC over Gaza War.” The Conversation.

Sky News Australia. “Wong Condemns Hezbollah Supporters after Sydney and Melbourne Protests.”

M McGowan. “Penny Wong Urges Greater Support for Palestine.” The Guardian, 10 Apr. 2024.

P Wong. “Press Conference in Jerusalem.” DFAT, Australian Government.

Lancet. “An Urgent Call for Justice in Palestine"