The Australian government has decided it is "no longer appropriate" to attend a summit in Saudi Arabia in light of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne announced on Saturday that news of the arrests of 18 Saudi nationals implicated in Mr Khashoggi's death and the removal of senior Saudi government officials had caused the government to pull out of next week's Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.
Senator Payne said she had conveyed to the Saudi Ambassador to Australia earlier in the week the government's "serious concern" for Mr Khashoggi's welfare and also directed the Australian ambassador in Riyadh to raise the matter with the Saudi government.
"We strongly urge the Saudi authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and to co-operate fully with their Turkish counterparts in ascertaining the full circumstances of Mr Khashoggi's death," she said.
"We call on Saudi Arabia to hold all those responsible to account for this egregious act against one of its citizens."
Earlier on Saturday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called on the government to "send a strong signal" to the Saudi government by boycotting the summit.
The killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is creating diplomatic repercussions around the world. Source: AAP
The Future Investment summit (FII) is in crisis after key sponsors pulled out and finance ministers from France and the Netherlands announced they wouldn't attend. On Thursday US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin followed suit.
On Saturday Saudi Arabian officials released a statement saying Khashoggi died after a fight broke out in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The journalist disappeared after entering the building.
