Some Alice Springs residents are concerned the US and Israel are using intelligence gathered from the Joint Defence Facility at Pine Gap in strikes on Iran and Lebanon.

Defence experts agree its intelligence is probably being used by the US in the war, but disagree over Australia's role.

The federal government says it is considering ways to help its allies protect the Strait of Hormuz from further attacks amid the Middle East conflict.

Iran has retaliated to US-Israeli strikes by effectively blocking the strait, a critical passage for the transportation of oil and gas.

Australia has signed a joint statement offering to contribute to efforts to protect the strait and the defence minister says discussions about next steps are ongoing.

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the signing of a new free trade pact marks a defining moment in the relationship between Australia and the European Union.

The deal, which has been finalised after 8 years of negotiations, is expected to be worth $10-billion to Australia's economy annually.

Europe and Australia have also approved a defence partnership, that'll provide a framework for the two sides to strengthen cooperation.

The education union has told crowds of public teachers in Melbourne that every public primary and secondary school in Victoria is affected by strikes today.

Thousands of teachers, principals and support staff, many from outer Melbourne suburbs and regional areas, are demonstrating in the CBD.

They're calling for a 35 per cent pay increase over four years and have rejected the state government's offer of 17 per cent.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen have given the green light to the Australia-EU free trade deal at a joint press conference in Canberra. 

Australian shares are up higher after US President Donald Trump backed down on his threat to bomb Iran's energy grid and it comes after steep falls on global markets yesterday. 

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The wild ride on global markets continues today after US President Donald Trump backed down on his latest threats to bomb Iranian civilian infrastructure. 

The Victorian Education Minister insists all public schools are open today, with hybrid teaching arrangements, despite 30,000 education staff walking off the job. 

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Australian stocks, like those in America, are set to go higher this morning following what looks like at least a temporary reprieve in a major escalation in the war in the Middle East. 

About 30,000 public school teachers in Victoria are walking off the job for the first time in 13 years today, over wages and conditions. 

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The price of oil has dropped overnight after US president Donald Trump backed down on his threat to bomb Iran's power plants. 

But the key oil and gas shipping passage, the Strait of Hormuz, still remains closed and the price at the bowser continues to be very high for Australians. 

The war is having far reaching consequences throughout Australia as soaring fuel costs force people to work from home and reconsider their spending.

Australian wine producers will likely be able to keep using the word 'prosecco' when selling to the domestic market under a long-awaited trade deal with the European Union. 

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Global oil prices have fallen and American stocks have bounced back after US President Donald Trump said he was postponing strikes on Iran's power plants for five days. 

But Iran has rejected the president's claims they have held productive conversations about a complete and total resolution to the conflict.

The speaker of Iran's parliament says it is fake news to manipulate the markets. 

Australia's peak farming body is warning consumers the price of groceries is about to jump as producers and the freight industry grapple with diesel price hikes and supply issues from the war in the Middle East.

Australia and the European Union look set to finally sign off on a long-awaited free trade pact after almost a decade of negotiations.

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Australians are already changing the way they do things, as the war in the Middle East starts to affect not only prices, but also anxiety levels. 

US stocks have surged and oil prices have dropped after US President Donald Trump backed down on his threat to bomb Iran's power plants, if it did not open a key shipping lane. 

The president says there’s been productive talks with Iran, and he’s even suggested the regime wants to make a deal to end the war. 

But Iran's contradicting Donald Trump and says his comments are fake news to manipulate global oil and financial markets.

While in Australia, governments and industries are scrambling to deal with the soaring cost of fuel.

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US President Donald Trump claims America has had productive talks with Iran, and it will postpone strikes on its power plants after high stakes threats between the countries.

But Iran rejects the president's claims and the speaker of its parliament says no negotiations have taken place, calling Donald Trump’s comments fake news to manipulate the financial and oil markets. 

In other news teachers are going on strikes in Victoria, a major trade pact is expected to be signed off and an ex tropical cyclone moves over to the Kimberley.

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