Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. What is the importance of Australia's future submarine capability to regional security?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question—a member from the great defence state of South Australia. Last week's AUKUS announcement—indeed, the advancement of AUKUS—has clearly been very positive for our relationship with the United States and the United Kingdom. It has taken two of our deepest relationships to a new level. But it's important to understand what AUKUS is. AUKUS is not a collective, exclusive security pact. Australia's alliance with the United States is embodied in the ANZUS Treaty, not AUKUS. We have a long history of military engagement with Great Britain, but that stands quite aside from AUKUS. AUKUS is a hugely powerful technology-sharing arrangement between our three countries, the most significant part of which is to have the UK and the US working together to share the technology with Australia to operate a nuclear powered submarine. But that capability is all about our relationship with our region. Operating a nuclear powered submarine will be Australia's contribution to the collective security of the neighbourhood in which we live. As such, it stands to improve our relationship with our neighbours. And this is the message—with over 60 calls from the Prime Minister, me, the foreign minister, the minister for the Pacific to leaders in north-east Asia, in South-East Asia and the Pacific—that we gave. The response from our region to the announcement that we made last week has been gratifying. Fiji's Prime Minister Rabuka has expressed his support for the AUKUS agreement. Samoa's Prime Minister, Fiame, who was here yesterday, said she, understands Australia's rationale for acquiring nuclear powered submarines. Indonesia, in respect of AUKUS, said:

Maintaining peace and stability in the region is the responsibility of all countries. It is critical for all countries to be a part of this effort.

Malaysia said it:

… appreciates the readiness on the part of the three countries, which are our close partners … in engaging with Malaysia at various levels and in sharing the … future outlook of AUKUS.

And Japan's Prime Minister Kishida said, 'the undertakings of AUKUS will contribute to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific'.

Australia draws our security from being a part of Asia, from being located in the Indo-Pacific. Operating nuclear powered submarines will be part of our contribution to the collective security of the region in which we live and the maintenance of the global rules-based order within the Indo-Pacific.