Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the federal government had reached out to 9News correspondent Lauren Tomasi to offer assistance, after the reporter was shot by police with a rubber bullet during her coverage of the ongoing protests in Los Angeles.
The moment was captured on camera, showing a masked officer lifting their gun and firing at close range, striking Tomasi with a supposed “non-lethal” round.
Tomasi later said she was “sore, but okay” and that she and her cameraman were both unharmed, as the footage sparked an international reaction.
Wong told Today that the footage captured a “really awful” moment.
“We’ve made the appropriate representations, and I’m very conscious also that we should handle this in the way Lauren is comfortable with,” she said.
“We obviously have reached out through the consulate general in Los Angeles and stand ready to provide any assistance she needs.”
Wong said “Australia believes in a free media and journalists should be able to do their job safely”.
The foreign minister would not be drawn on whether Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would raise the matter with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Canada this week.
“He doesn’t telegraph these sorts things ahead of the discussion,” Wong said.
“But please be assured that we have acted through the all the appropriate diplomatic channels.”
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Albanese condemned the attack yesterday, saying Tomasi was targeted by the police officer despite clearly being identifiable as a member of the media.
”We don’t find it acceptable that it occurred, and we think that the role of the media is particularly important,” he said.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed it had launched a formal investigation into the attack.
