Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, congratulations on your election. My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. Can the minister explain the importance of the AUKUS announcement and how the partnership will contribute to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Abetz, for your question. AUKUS is a significant and historic enhancement of Australia's cooperation with the United Kingdom and the United States to promote both security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific in line with our shared values. This is a task on which we've worked together for more than 70 years. But today we face a growing set of challenges in our region. Military modernisation is occurring in our region at an increasing rate and capabilities are advancing rapidly with ever-expanding reach. To meet these challenges and to help deliver the security and stability our region needs we are taking our partnership to a new level, building on our three nations' longstanding bilateral ties. The AUKUS partnership will provide a foundation for deepening cooperation on a range of emerging security and defence capabilities.

As announced, the first initiative is the acquisition for the Royal Australian Navy of a nuclear powered submarine fleet, leveraging decades of experience from both the United Kingdom and the United States. As a three-ocean nation, it is necessary for Australia to have access to the most capable submarine technology available. However, beyond that, the initiative will see wide cooperation in the most critical areas of innovation that will shape the 21st century, including cybercapabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and additional undersea capabilities. Through AUKUS, we will foster deeper integration of security and defence related science, technology, industrial bases and supply chains. AUKUS is a partnership where our technology, our scientists, our industry and our defence forces will work together more closely than ever before to deliver a safer and more secure Indo-Pacific that ultimately benefits all nations.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, a supplementary question?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that detail. I further ask the minister to outline the ways in which AUKUS complements our existing network of partnerships.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Working with partners is essential to shaping our region for Australia's foreign policy. AUKUS will complement our network of partnerships with ASEAN, with the Pacific, with our European partners and with the growing Quad. It is a partnership that seeks to engage, not to exclude. We look for opportunities to enable and empower rather than control or coerce. Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are committed to strengthening our partnership with ASEAN and to deepening collaboration with our partners in Europe, including on the European Union's new Indo-Pacific strategy. We understand—and have said clearly that we understand—France's disappointment that we are not proceeding with the Attack class program. We place great value on our relationship with France and we look forward to continuing to work with France on our many shared interested, including in the Indo-Pacific.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, a final supplementary question?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the context of the historic AUKUS agreement, can the minister advise the Senate of Australia's nuclear non-proliferation commitments?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Abetz for his question. Australia's commitment to nuclear weapons nonproliferation is unchanged. We are embarking on a nuclear propulsion program. Australia has clearly and explicitly stated that it will not acquire nuclear weapons. Australia has the strongest non-proliferation and safeguards standards and one of the best nuclear non-proliferation reputations in the world. For the fifth time in succession Australia has ranked first globally on the Nuclear Threat Initiative's 2020 Nuclear Security Index. We ranked first among 24 states for measures against the theft of nuclear material and first of 47 states for measures to prevent the sabotage of nuclear facilities. We will adhere to the highest standards of safeguards, transparency, verification and accountancy. We are committed to fulfilling our obligations as a non-nuclear weapons state and to meeting our non-proliferation obligations, such as the South-Pacific nuclear— (Time expired)