Wong says Coalition ‘pretty extreme’ to stand at odds with US on Middle East ceasefire

Opposition home affairs spokesman says ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza can only happen when Hezbollah and Hamas are degraded'

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has accused the Coalition of shifting positions on the US alliance and Middle East ceasefires for political reasons, after it appeared to abandon its insistence that US and Australian policy must always align.

Wong called for Peter Dutton to clarify the Coalition's position on the United States' support for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon after the shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, distanced the Coalition from the US stance.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email