The High Court has today dismissed an interim application by Russia to prevent the Commonwealth taking control of a site Moscow had leased for a new embassy.
Russia’s fight to build an embassy on a controversial plot of land very close to Parliament House has heated up the past week, making headlines around the world.
Australia has blocked Russia from building a new embassy on the empty parcel of land because of concerns over spying and national security, cancelling the lease taken on by Moscow in 2008.
World media, including The Washington Post, CNN and Al Jazeera, have all reported on the intensifying diplomatic row and the appearance of what may be a lone Russian embassy staffer squatting on the building site over the past few days.
If the man is a diplomat, he would be covered by diplomatic immunity, presenting an extra layer of complexity for any law enforcement action to remove him.
Australia’s government last week terminated Russia’s lease on the Yarralumla site, which is situated about 400 metres from the parliamentary precinct.
The battle moved to the High Court today.
“Russia will never, ever, build its embassy on that site,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, speaking before the High Court had dismissed the application.
“We respect the rule of law. Russia hasn’t had a great record of respecting the rule of law lately.”
The federal government was “very confident” of its legal position, he said.
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“We expected Russia to react badly,” he said, referring to the High Court challenge.
The Russian embassy has so far declined to comment.
Russia secured the lease to the land from the Australian government in 2008.
Three years later, it was granted approval to build its new embassy there.
Albanese said it was “a different time” since the lease was granted.
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Australia has sided with Western allies in support of Kyiv since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began more than a year ago.
Canberra has repeatedly condemned Moscow for its “illegal and immoral” military operations.
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