Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the rubber bullet shooting of Nine journalist Lauren Tomasi as “horrific,” slamming the incident as a clear violation of press freedom and confirming Australia has already raised the matter with the US government.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Albanese said he had spoken directly with Tomasi, who was struck while reporting on violent protests in Los Angeles, and praised her resilience and professionalism.
“She’s pretty resilient, I’ve got to say,” Albanese told the room. “That footage was horrific. That was the footage of an Australian journalist doing what journalists do at their very best, going into an environment that’s not comfortable, but where it is not unreasonable to think she would not have been targeted with a rubber bullet.”
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Albanese stressed that Tomasi was clearly identified as a member of the media at the time she was shot, wearing protective gear labelled “press.”
“There was no ambiguity. She wasn’t wearing a trackie, she was wearing something that identified her as media. It is not acceptable that a journalist be targeted like that,” he said. “We have already raised these issues with the US administration.”
The Prime Minister declined to confirm whether he would personally raise the issue in an upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit in Canada next week, stating only that his discussions with the President would be “diplomatic, appropriate and with respect”.
The shocking footage showed a Los Angeles police officer appearing to aim directly at Tomasi and her cameraman before opening fire with a rubber bullet. Moments earlier, Tomasi had been describing the escalating standoff outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre during a live cross.
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In a statement, Nine CEO Matt Stanton called the footage “shocking” and said it has “raised concerns from around the world”.
“There are valid questions around what could in any way have justified the actions taken by the police officer. This is why a formal investigation is so important. It is important to find out what happened and why. I plan to write to the LAPD Commissioner offering our cooperation with the investigation.”
“Our focus has been on providing all the support Lauren and our camera operator James Phillips need in the aftermath of Sunday’s incident,” he said. “As 9News continues to cover these dramatic and troubling events in Los Angeles for Australian audiences, the safety of our 9News teams in the U.S. remains the priority.”
“I’d like to thank the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and DFAT officials in Australia and the United States, including Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd and Consul General Los Angeles Tanya Bennett, for the assistance afforded to Lauren, James and the 9News team”.
“The active and direct engagement of the Australian Government with government and law enforcement officials in the U.S. played an important role in ensuring an investigation has been established in such a timely manner,” Stanton said.
The LAPD has confirmed that it will be launching a formal investigation into the incident.
The attack echoes similar incidents during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, when Australian journalists were struck by US police near the White House—a point not lost on many in the media and political class.
Albanese took a firm stance on the broader implications, saying: “I respect the role that the media play, and people should respect the role the media play in our modern society”.
The incident has drawn bipartisan condemnation. Greens senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Nick McKim have both called for an urgent and direct response at the highest level, while Nationals senator Matt Canavan said the footage appears to show a deliberate attack and warranted investigation.
DFAT has confirmed that the Australian Consulate-General in LA is offering support and has formally expressed concern to US authorities.
While Tomasi continues to recover, the broader question remains: how will Australia and its allies respond to growing threats against the press, even in countries that claim to champion freedom?
