House debates Questions without Notice

Prime Minister

Tuesday, 15 February 2022 House of Representatives

Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

3:20 pm

So when ultimately we were able to form the agreement between Australia, the UK and the United States known as AUKUS, the most significant advance in our partnership arrangements with both of these countries to protect Australia's national security—as we were able to achieve with ANZUS many, many years ago—we were in a position to go forward with our plans to develop nuclear propelled submarines. At that point, we had to advise the French government that we would not be continuing. If those opposite think there is a friendly way or an easy way to tell another country that a $90 billion contract can't be continued, I'm all ears. But to have engaged in the process that those opposite pretend we could have would have put at risk the AUKUS agreement and Australia's national security. This is what you have to do as a Prime Minister. If I have to decide between Australia's national security interests and avoiding potentially offending someone, I choose Australia. We know what the Leader of the Opposition would do.

Opposition members interjecting—

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