Russia has gone to Australia’s highest court challenging the power of the federal government to tear up Moscow’s lease on a prime block of Canberra real estate where it had begun constructing a new embassy.
As Breitbart London reported, the Albanese government last week rushed through legislation terminating Russia’s tenancy on land adjacent to Parliament House, citing a possible national security risk.
“The government has received very clear security advice as to the risk presented by a new Russian presence so close to Parliament House,” Albanese told reporters. “We are acting quickly to ensure the lease site does not become a formal diplomatic presence.”
Now Russia is fighting back and seeking legal remedy with lawyers acting on behalf of Russian Ambassador Dr Alexey Pavlovsky taking action through a High Court challenge.
A portable building at the site of Russia’s proposed new embassy in Canberra, Australia, on Friday, June 23, 2023. Russia and Australia’s dispute over the site of Moscow’s proposed new embassy in Canberra has escalated, with local media reporting a Russian diplomat is squatting on the land despite the lease being canceled. (Ben Westcott/Bloomberg via Getty)
ABC News reports Documents submitted to the High Court state the Russians are seeking an order that “the defendant, by itself and its servants and agents be restrained, until further order of the Court from [a] re-entering the Land and [b] taking any steps to re-lease the Land”.
According to the High Court application, the Russian Federation claims to have already spent $8.2 million on construction works and associated activities since entering a lease on the disputed block of land in December 2008.
“The Plaintiff will not carry out any further work on the Land or its improvements (including works to erect, construct or modify any buildings or other improvements on the Land), other than carrying out general maintenance,” the documents add.
A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the latest legal challenge was not a surprise, the ABC report sets out.
“The Russian Federation has informed the Commonwealth of its intention to commence legal proceedings in the High Court, in which they will challenge the validity of the legislation on constitutional grounds.
“Russia’s challenge to the validity of the law is not unexpected. This is part of the Russian playbook,” the spokesperson told the national broadcaster.
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