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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Paul Karp Chief political correspondent

Australian government passes law cancelling lease on new Russian embassy site over security concerns

The current Russian embassy
The Russian embassy in Canberra in Griffith. The Russian government was seeking to build on another site closer to parliament but that has been controversial. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The Australian government has rushed through special legislation allowing it to cancel Russia’s lease on a site for a new embassy near Parliament House, citing national security concerns.

On Thursday Anthony Albanese and the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, announced the move, with the prime minister promising to act “quickly to ensure the leased site does not become a formal diplomatic presence”.

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