Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Australian PM blasts ex-MP's 'stupid' Iraq trip

Wyatt Roy, a former assistant minister and Australia's youngest ever MP, lost his seat in the July election.

He travelled to the front line of the conflict between the Islamic State group and Kurdish forces, in defiance of travel warnings, to "see a mate".

Five IS fighters were reported to have been killed last week in the battle, west of Mosul.

 

IS fire fight

Mr Roy said he was at the frontline "for no more than a minute" when 15 IS fighters fired a series of 50-calibre rounds and RPGs from less than 1km away.

Ministerial-level appointment demonstrates Australia is serious about the Pacific, Steve Ciobo says

Steve Ciobo, who last week was the parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs under the previous prime minister Tony Abbott, has been sworn in as Australia's Minister for International Development and the Pacific.

"This new position really reflects and really does underscore the Government's renewed focus on the Pacific, the importance of the Pacific, the value that we place on our international development, and of course our very strong desire to continue building a strong relationship with our near South Pacific neighbours," Ciobo told Pacific Beat.