Former minister Ed Husic calls for a rethink as concerns grow over US submarine supply
Former Labor minister Ed Husic has broken ranks to call for a rethink of the AUKUS agreement after it was revealed the US only plans to sell second-hand nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
Husic’s intervention at Tuesday’s board meeting came as former Labor Minister Peter Garrett and former defense force chief Chris Barrie announced they would lead a crowdfunded investigation into AUKUS, labeling the $368 billion project “controversial and secretive”.
Husic, who served as industry minister until he was demoted to second place in a reshuffle last May, joined calls for the government to develop a “Plan B” in case the promised submarines did not arrive as promised.
The Coalition said the comments revealed division within Labor over AUKUS and called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to enforce discipline within his group.
“You wonder whether we can get the agreement, even the restructured agreement,” Husic told reporters at Parliament House.
Earlier in Labour’s caucus meeting he questioned whether the original Labor caucus vote on AUKUS was valid given the changes to the programme.
“This agreement and the agreement we have now are different,” Husic said.
“I think it gives us a moment to think about whether the deal needs to be restructured or what the contingencies are.”
“What’s plan B?” Husic said he was concerned that slowing American submarine production rates would mean the US would have nothing to spare for Australia.
“You saw it in a broader sense [Labor] “This move is a general unease with the nature of the agreement,” Husic said.
“But putting all that aside, we face a problem of reality as to whether we can get the new deal that is offered to us.”
AUKUS defense ministers announced at the weekend that Australia will now receive three used second-hand submarines from the US, rather than two used and one new submarine as originally planned.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said the change would reduce complexity and save money for taxpayers.
“I guess he had to say that under the circumstances,” Husic replied.
He also said he was concerned about what US President Donald Trump might want from Australia in return for supporting AUKUS.
Opposition defense spokesman James Paterson said Albanese was facing a “total Labor rebellion” when it came to Australia’s signature defense policy, accusing Husic of “directly challenging the authority of Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles”.
“This is a result of Labour’s mishandling of the delivery of AUKUS and the failure of Richard Marles and the Prime Minister to defend AUKUS,” Paterson said.
Senior Labor figures have insisted privately that they had always preferred to buy three submarines of the same type, although the impetus for the change was a review last year by senior Pentagon official and AUKUS skeptic Elbridge Colby.
Garrett, a long-time anti-nuclear campaigner who has previously blasted the AUKUS treaty, said a public inquiry was needed because it was “the most significant and expensive decision ever made by any Australian government in the modern era”.
The inquiry, funded by public donations, will hold public hearings and take submissions.
Barrie, who led the defense force from 1998 to 2002, said he had previously supported Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines but now had “serious concerns” about AUKUS, including that it could drag Australia into a war with China.
Independent MP Monique Ryan joined other participants in demanding further scrutiny of the AUKUS agreement.
