Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to get a couple of facts on the table because, obviously, some of the debate we had earlier on from the Australian Greens was anything but accurate. The establishment of the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator marks a key milestone in Australia's nuclear-powered-submarine program. It reflects the government's commitment to maintaining the highest levels of nuclear safety and stewardship across the life cycle of Australia's conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines.

AUKUS is a central pillar of the government's national security policy, and we don't make any apologies for that. It is about protecting Australia, safeguarding our interest and ensuring the security of our region. Australia faces the most challenging strategic circumstances since the Second World War, at a time when our economic connection with the world has never been greater. Our investment in conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines is, therefore, critical. It will provide the Australian Defence Force with greater capacity to project power, defend Australia and contribute to regional security and stability.

The Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Act and its regulations enable a new, fit-for-purpose regulatory framework to ensure nuclear safety across the entire capability life cycle. The statutory regulator has the functions and the powers necessary to license activities, infrastructure and facilities related to Australia's nuclear powered submarines and for monitoring and enforcing those licences. Importantly, the regulator remains independent of the regulated community, including the ADF, the Department of Defence, the Australian Submarine Agency and industry. The establishment of the regulator last year in November marked an important step in ensuring that Australia's nuclear-powered-submarine program progresses with safety as its core requirement. It also brings together expertise from across Australia and internationally, with a clear mandate to deliver independent, evidence based regulation.

The disallowance motion before us in the Senate puts this important work at risk. It is political grandstanding without considering our national security and safety. We get that the Australian Greens oppose AUKUS. That is their political position. But opposing AUKUS should not extend to undermining the independent regulator that is responsible for ensuring nuclear safety. Contrary to the misinformation of the Australian Greens, the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Act underwent extensive public consultation prior to its commencement. This included an inquiry by the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, which held public hearings right across the country.

Let me also address some of the misinformation by the Greens that continues to circulate. The safety and security of Australians and our environment is at the heart of the regulatory framework. Australia will be responsible for the management and disposal of radioactive waste from our conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. This is a critical part of our commitment to responsible nuclear stewardship. These activities are an important step in building Australia's capability to safely operate and sustain nuclear powered submarines before we acquire our own.

It is also worth noting that the management of low-level radioactive waste is not new to Australia. Similar materials are already handled safely at more than 100 locations across the country, including hospitals, universities and research facilities. This type of waste includes items such as protective clothing, rags and fluids.

Australia will be responsible for managing spent fuel from our own nuclear powered submarines. But let me absolutely clear. Despite the scare campaign being run by the Greens, Australia will not accept or be responsible for the storage, management or disposal of nuclear fuel from United States or United Kingdom submarines. The independent Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator is ensuring that Australia maintains the highest standards of nuclear safety in respect of new nuclear-powered submarines.

Yet what we face is that the Australian Greens continue to choose to ignore the facts entirely and instead construct some sort of fantasy narrative about Australia being dragged into this 'forever war' that's been described. There is something deeply revealing about that. The Greens also seem to view every single international crisis through one lens: how they can attack Australia and its allies and its alliances, question our partnership and undermine the cooperation that deters aggression and maintains stability. Australia has, for a very long time, called the United States a friend and an ally, and we have relied also on the UAE as a partner in defence operations, including coordinated efforts to combat extremism and the ISIS threat. These relationships keep Australians safe, yet the Greens' focus is not on that, and it's certainly not on the current situation in Iran about the people of Iran. Their focus seems to be, here in the Senate, on scoring political points.

Whilst the Iranian people, if I might add, fight for freedom, all I can say is I think that the Greens just want to fight only to weaken Australia. They oppose our alliances. They oppose our defence cooperation. They oppose Australia playing any role in helping our partners to defend themselves, even when Australians themselves are in harm's way. This is a view that pretends that Australia can somehow opt out of the realities of international security. But, as responsible governments, we need to operate in a responsible way. Responsible governments consider the safety of Australians overseas. They listen to the advice of the Australian Defence Force and our national security agencies. They work with partners to prevent instability from escalating further. This is exactly what the Albanese government is doing.

It is very important that, as we go through the motions today, I want to be absolutely clear that this disallowance motion before us does nothing—absolutely nothing—to improve safety. It simply seeks to obstruct the establishment of a regulator whose sole purpose is to ensure nuclear safety. For that reason, the government will not support the motion before the Senate.