Australia to build nuclear submarines in a new partnership with the US and UK
- Written by: Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Australia will build a fleet of nuclear submarines as part of a new security partnership with the United States and United Kingdom, dubbed AUKUS.
The dramatic move is a response to the growing threat of China and will be seen as provocative by that country.
In a early morning address at Parliament House, part of a three way virtual appearances with US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia, the US and the UK had “always seen the world through a similar lens.”
“Our world is becoming more complex, especially here in our region, the Indo-Pacific.
"This affects us all. The future of the Indo-Pacific will impact all our futures. To meet these challenges, to help deliver the security and stability our region needs, we must now take our partnership to a new level.”
The submarines will be built in Adelaide, in cooperation with the UK and US.
Morrison stressed “Australia is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons or establish a civil nuclear capability”.
Labor is yet to respond but sources said the plan presented no problem in terms of the ALP platform.
There will be an 18-month long effort by the three countries to develop the best plan to deliver the new capability. In doing this, expertise from the US and the UK will be used.
In a statement Morrison, Biden, and Johnson said: “Through AUKUS, our governments will strengthen the ability of each to support our security and defence interests, building on our longstanding and ongoing bilateral ties.
"We will promote deeper information and technology sharing. We will foster deeper integration of security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains. And in particular, we will significantly deepen cooperation on a range of security and defence capabilities.”
The leaders said : “The endeavour we launch today will help sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
American nuclear-powered submarines visit Australia.
Currently, Australia has a contract with the French for conventionally powered submarines. This has been controversial because of the long lead time and escalating costs.
Senate crossbencher Rex Patrick, a former submariner, said the decision on nuclear submarines should come under rigorous parliamentary scrutiny.
“I’ve been a strong critic of the French submarine deal.The delays and cost overruns are huge and unacceptable. But we have to be careful we don’t move from one massive procurement disaster into something else that hasn’t been thought through properly.”
Patrick said that “acquiring, operating and maintaining a nuclear submarine fleet without a domestic nuclear power industry is a challenge that must not be underestimated.”
Greens leader Adam Bandt attacked the decision, saying it was “a dangerous move that makes our country less safe by putting floating Chernobyls in the heart of our major cities, increasing the risk of conflict in our region and putting Australia in the firing line.”
He said the government was trying to distract from its failures by preparing for a khaki election.
