AUKUS: Defence Minister Richard Marles forced to pour cold water on fears over Pentagon review
Defence Minister Richard Marles has been forced to pour cold water on fears over a new Pentagon inquiry into AUKUS, insisting the Government was 'very confident' the $368 billion nuclear-powered submarine program would go ahead.
The review to ensure the trilateral agreement with Australia and the UK fits with the priorities of the new Trump administration will be led by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, viewed as an AUKUS sceptic.
'We are reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the President's America First agenda,' a US official said of the decision.
But Mr Marles downplayed concerns, describing it as a 'natural' move for a new administration that followed a similar 'positive' inquiry by the British Government following the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
'We are committed to AUKUS and we look forward to working closely with the US on the review,' he said in a statement, adding that Canberra had been given advance notice.
Mr Marles, who made an $800m down payment on the submarine program earlier this year, pointed to bipartisan support in the United States for the program, including the passage of important legislative provisions to enable the transfer of US Virginia class submarines to Australia.
However, shadow defence minister Angus Taylor said the review was 'deeply concerning' and called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to urgently seek a direct meeting with President Trump to 'ensure Australia's national interests are protected.'
Mr Albanese is expected to speak with Mr Trump on sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada this weekend, although a one-on-one meeting has not yet been confirmed.
Mr Taylor questioned whether the review had been triggered by the Albanese Government's refusal to commit to US demands to hike defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP and the decision to sanction two far-right Israeli ministers.
'Australia cannot afford to be seen as a fair-weather friend. This government has sent mixed messages to our allies, and we're now seeing the consequences,' he said.
By contrast, former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison urged people not to 'over-interpret' a departmental review that was not a policy decision, arguing America was 'within its remit' to examine the multibillion-dollar pact.
AUKUS, established by the former Coalition Government in 2021, is viewed as critical to Australia's defence as regional tensions grow over China's military build-up and territorial ambitions.
It aims to deliver a nuclear-powered submarine capability for Australia with the help of the US and the UK, as well as boosting trilateral defence cooperation on cyber and artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies
The first stage would see British and American nuclear submarines rotating through Perth from 2027 before the sale of US Navy Virginia-class attack submarines to Australia in the early 2030s. In the latter stage, Australia will construct a new SSN-Aukus fleet in Adelaide.
'This is all or nothing for Australia, and for the sake of our national security, we need to make sure that we can at least provide some deterrent for potential hostile threats to our nation, and the best way to do that is to partner with the United States,' former Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey told ABC Radio National Breakfast.
He said he did not believe the review made the program more vulnerable but urged the Prime Minister to have a detailed discussion directly with the US President.
Elbridge Colby, known to be hawkish on China and who has frequently called for other nations to increase their defence spending, has previously questioned why the US should give away its 'crown jewel asset' when asked about the future of AUKUS.
However, in his recent confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee, he also expressed support.
'I think it should be the policy of the United States Government to do everything we can to make this work,' he said.
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