Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong has warned the federal government must not sacrifice Australia's independence as it pushes ahead with its ambitious plan to use US and UK technology to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
Key points:
- In a speech to the US Studies Centre, Senator Wong will re-enforce Labor's support for the nuclear-powered submarines
- She will question whether Australia is able to act alone "whenever we need to" following the AUKUS deal
- The ABC understands Vice Admiral David Johnston will visit South-East Asia to reassure nearby countries
It comes as the Prime Minister prepares to dispatch Australia's second most senior military officer to South-East Asia to quell regional anxieties that the new submarines could fuel tensions in Asia.
The federal opposition has offered conditional bipartisan support to the government's plan, although it has accused the Coalition of mishandling the diplomatic crisis over its decision to scrap a $90 billion submarine contract with French company Naval Group.
Yesterday, former prime minister Paul Keating lashed out Labor for backing the government, accusing Senator Wong of "muted complicity" and "neuter[ing] Labor's traditional stance as to Australia's right to strategic autonomy" from the United States.
There is no sign that Labor is contemplating breaking from its current position, and Senator Wong will use a speech to the United States Studies Centre on Thursday to reiterate that Labor is willing to back the government's embrace of nuclear propulsion for the submarines.
But she is also expected to say that the government's plan raises "valid questions about Australia's sovereign capability".
ABC News: Dave Weber
)"With the prospect of a higher level of technological dependence on the US, how does the Morrison-Joyce government assure Australians that we can act alone when need be; that we have the autonomy to defend ourselves, however and whenever we need to," the speech reads.
Senator Wong will urge the government to bring Labor "into the tent" and embrace Labor leader Anthony Albanese's proposal for a bipartisan consultation mechanism on the submarine program.
She will also accuse the Coalition of unnecessarily unnerving Australia's neighbours, saying the government did not do "preparatory work" to "assure our partners of the practical implications of these announcements — including compliance with our nuclear non-proliferation obligations".
Some South-East Asian countries including Indonesia and Malaysia have criticised Australia's submarine plans, worrying it might help fuel an arms race in Asia and feed into broader tensions across the region.
Vice Chief of Defence Force to visit South-East Asia
The ABC has been told that the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral David Johnston, will visit South-East Asia next week as part of a broader diplomatic push designed to reassure nearby countries about the submarines plan.
Supplied: Australian Defence Force
)He is expected to visit Singapore and Malaysia, as well as Indonesia.
The visit is another sign that Australia is intensifying diplomatic efforts across the region — and particularly in South-East Asia — to explain the government's rationale for the decision, and to stress that Australia has no plans to acquire nuclear weapons.
Earlier this week, Australia's ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Will Nankervis, issued a statement emphasising the defence technology agreement with the United States and the United Kingdom which will allow Australia to access nuclear submarine technology, known as AUKUS, was "not a defence alliance or pact".
Mr Nankervis also stressed that the agreement "does not change Australia's commitment to ASEAN nor our ongoing support for the ASEAN-led regional architecture".
It is not the first time Vice Admiral Johnston has been entrusted with a sensitive diplomatic task in the region. He has been the main conduit between the federal government and the leaders of Myanmar's military junta and has repeatedly pressed the generals to release jailed Australian economist Sean Turnell.
Not all South-East Asian countries are unnerved by the federal government's nuclear submarines plan or by the AUKUS agreement.
Earlier this week the Philippines Foreign Minister, Teodoro Locsin Jr, said his country backed the new pact because it would help address a military "imbalance" in the region.
But some regional nations remain anxious the new agreement will further undermine existing regional diplomatic architecture, including ASEAN.
Senator Wong calls to boost diplomacy
In her speech to the United States Studies Centre, Senator Wong will stress that AUKUS is "additional to" and not "instead of" Australia's contributions to existing regional architecture.
"It doesn't replace the ANZUS Alliance, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, APEC or the Quad," she will say.
AP: Evan Vucci
)"Central to maximising our influence in the region is looking to build greater alignment around matters on which other regional partners share similar interests."
Senator Wong will also press the government to ramp up its investment in foreign aid and development in South-East Asia.
"Our strategic ambitions must be matched by equally ambitious efforts to respond to the region's needs," the speech reads.
"Submarines might help protect the region, but on their own they won't build the region we want — a region that is stable, prosperous, as well as respectful of sovereignty."
"And submarines can help our national defence, but won't of themselves prevent efforts at economic coercion."
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2021-09-22 19:11:33Z
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