Who is Nova Peris? Former Australian Olympian and senator shelters in Israel amid Iranian missile barrage

Nova Peris, a former Australian Olympian and senator, is one of the Australians trapped in Israel. She, along with media personality Erin Molan, on June 13 took refuge in bomb shelters after Iran launched multiple missile waves against Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The escalation followed Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military sites earlier on June 12 and 13.

Peris, currently stuck in Israel with 11 others, says the past 24 hours have been “deeply confronting.” She described the shelter stay as “extremely frightening and distressing,” recalling repeated missile waves hitting across the region.

She expressed solidarity with all civilians, including Israel’s 2 million Arab citizens, praising the Israeli defence systems. She thanked those checking on the group and said, “We can’t wait to come home. But for now, we’re safe, in bomb shelters, we’re together…”.


The group includes Peris’s husband, Scott Appleton, Indigenous leaders, and professionals touring Israel under the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is in contact with them. Australia’s Defence Minister confirmed the consular service is monitoring the situation.

Who is Nova Peris?

Nova Peris rose to international prominence as a star athlete. She won a gold medal for Australia in the women’s field hockey team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. With this victory, she became the first Indigenous Australian to win an Olympic gold medal.

She later also competed as a sprinter at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, making her the first Australian to represent the country in two different sports at the Olympics.

In 2013, Peris became the first Indigenous woman elected to the Australian Federal Parliament. She served as a Labor Senator for the Northern Territory until 2016. She focused on Indigenous health, education, and reconciliation during her term.

Since leaving politics, Peris has remained active in public life. She has been involved in youth outreach programs, served as an ambassador for Aboriginal communities, and continued work in sports media and advocacy.

On June 12, Israel launched a major military operation, “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military facilities. Iran reported 78 deaths as a result and vowed retaliation.

Iran responded with three waves of missile attacks, launching approximately 150 missiles toward Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.