TV interview with Minister Butler, ABC News Breakfast – 24 June 2025

BRIDGET BRENNAN, HOST: Let's go now to the federal Health Minister, Mark Butler, who joins us this morning. Good morning to you, Minister.
 
MARK BUTLER, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING: Morning Bridget.
 
BRENNAN: Concerning escalation overnight, what are our broader fears for Australians in the region, Minister?
 
BUTLER: First of all, we condemn the attack on the US base in Qatar by Iran. We made it very clear through the Prime Minister yesterday that we expect Iran now to return to the table and de-escalate this very volatile dangerous situation. They've not done that but we urge them to do that after this attack. Now what we say to Australians is this is a volatile situation. We urge you to continue to monitor the Smartraveller site, and obviously there is some temporary disruption to airspace in the Middle East, which is really important for Australians wanting to travel to Europe or wanting to get home, so staying in close touch with your airline is obviously important as well right now.
 
BRENNAN: Do we have any more information, Minister, on how many more Australians have been in touch with the government concerned about what's happening and wanting to come home?
 
BUTLER: This is obviously a very fluid situation but if you're talking about people wanting to get out of Iran and Israel there obviously are some thousands now of Australians who have contacted Australian consular officials seeking assistance to depart those 2 countries. But many more besides now in Europe and other destinations wanting to get home or in Australia wanting to get over there are going very disrupted by what is happening in the Middle East right now. As I say again, monitor Smartraveller and stay in touch closely with your airline.
 
BRENNAN: There is some analysis suggesting that this latest strike from Iran into Qatar might spell the end of this chapter of hostilities. But the risk here is a full-blown conflict, isn't it, with a very high civilian death toll?
 
BUTLER: This is a really, really dangerous situation. The Prime Minister said yesterday, echoing the remarks of the US president and so many other leaders around the world. After the strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities, a strike that we've said we support, it is now time to de-escalate. It's time for Iran to return to the table and explore with regional partners and leaders in Europe and the US a way forward to peace right now. We cannot have further escalation of the type we've seen overnight with the attack by Iran on the US base in Qatar.
 
BRENNAN: The French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken in the last couple of hours saying there was no framework of legality supporting the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Does Australia believe that strike by the US was legal?
 
BUTLER: The UN nuclear watchdog head had said that Iran had large amounts of highly enriched uranium, just below weapons grade, sufficient for them to manufacture in time several nuclear weapons. This is a highly oppressive, highly aggressive regime, a big sponsor of terrorism around the world and the region, which has promised to wipe one of its neighbours off the map. Ending that nuclear threat for the region and the globe is something we've been trying to do for years and that's why the Prime Minister said yesterday –
 
BRENNAN: Certainly, but was a strike on its nuclear facilities, rather than a diplomatic solution, the way to do that? And does Australia believe that strike was legal?
 
BUTLER: We support that strike. The Prime Minister said it yesterday. We had been trying for years to end that nuclear threat, that grievous nuclear threat to the region and the globe for years and Iran had been told in no uncertain terms over recent days and weeks it had one opportunity to return to the table and deal with this through dialogue and it chose not to do that.
 
BRENNAN: But now do we face a more dangerous situation if Iran decides to dispel independent nuclear watchdog inspectors and leave that non-proliferation treaty, that surely means we're in a more precarious situation than previously.
 
BUTLER: Ending that nuclear threat, which is what we think the US has done through its strike on the 3 nuclear facilities. A targeted strike on those 3 facilities is something that we support because it has been a long-term threat that the Iranians have frankly, refused to engage meaningfully with the international community to reduce or to negate at all. We think this was a strike that in the circumstances we should support and we urge Iran now to get back to the table and de-escalate this situation. You're right to say this is highly volatile and highly dangerous but the ball right now is very much in the Iranians court. It is time for them to return to the table and play a constructive role in helping to de-escalate a very dangerous situation.
 
BRENNAN: And as Israel continues to strike Iran what's our message to the Israeli Government, Minister?
 
BUTLER: It's a message to all people in the region, all countries in the region, now is the time for de-escalation. And that's a message to the broader region, but it's a particular message right now to Iran.
 
BRENNAN: If I can just get you back to your portfolio with some happier news this morning for Australia with cystic fibrosis, because there is some really wonderful news for people suffering with that terrible condition, that they'll have access to a drug much more cheaply now. Can you give us the details on this?
 
BUTLER: That's right. This is a really debilitating condition. It hits kids, it hits adults, it's incredibly disabling and often leads to a very early death. There is though a wonder drug called Trikafta that we've been progressively listing on the PBS, and today I'll be meeting with patients and their families and their doctors to celebrate another expansion of that listing on the PBS. It's a wonder drug, it literally works within 24 or 48 hours to transform a person's life but it costs about $250,000 a year. Expanding this for another 200 or so Australians means that almost 80% of people living with cystic fibrosis now have access to this this drug through the PBS. It just reinforces the importance of our world-leading medicine system here in Australia.
 
BRENNAN: And are there other drugs, similar drugs, that could be beneficial to people with cystic fibrosis that are also awaiting approval on the PBS?
 
BUTLER: This drug really is one that over time we continue to expand the listing of, as new evidence comes in about patients who will benefit from it, whether they have different gene mutations or patients in different age groups. I know that the company and others are still doing research into other ways into which to support patients with cystic fibrosis. There still are some patients who don’t have access to this drug because either of their age or a particular genetic mutation. I know research is going in to make sure that, if at all possible, we can get 100% of cystic fibrosis patients in the same position that other patients have now, which is getting back to school, getting back to work and living a normal life.
 
BRENNAN: That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, Minister, for your time on the program this morning.
 
BUTLER: Thanks, Bridget.