Albanese confident Congress will pass AUKUS bills
Anthony Albanese says he is confident the US Congress will pass AUKUS-related legislation, sharpening his pitch to legislators that Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines is also a “win” for America but ruling out paying more.
Mr Albanese also said Australia had “clearly and unequivocally” come out against the actions of terror group Hamas, although he acknowledged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had yet to respond to his request for a phone conversation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Alex Ellinghausen
Opening his four-day official visit to Washington, Mr Albanese announced tech giant Microsoft’s $5 billion investment in Australia, including a new partnership with Australia’s cyber spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Mr Albanese also said he had begun speaking to US legislators about passing the Pentagon’s budget bills, which contains a provision to sell Virginia-class submarines to Australia under the AUKUS pact.
The budget has stalled in part because of concerns over inadequate funding to build additional submarines for the US Navy to replace boats that it sells to Australia.
Asked whether he was prepared to increase Australia’s $3 billion contribution to the US and UK submarine industrial base to sway reluctant politicians, Mr Albanese said he believed Australia’s support was appropriate. He noted the White House was also planning to increase what it spent building submarines.
“President Biden is on the same page,” he said, adding the AUKUS partnership helps Australia play a bigger security role in the Indo-Pacific. “We don’t seek to just be someone who is watching.”
It also lifts the defence capacity of all three nations, Mr Albanese said. “That’s what this is about,” he said. “Win-win-win for Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.”
Mr Albanese said he was “very confident of a very positive outcome” over his AUKUS talks.
“That comes from the top in President Biden’s commitment to this. But it also comes from the engagement with Congress and senators,” he said.
“They support it very strongly. And that has been across the board whether they be Democrat or Republican.”
Middle East conflict to feature in talks
The risk of conflict in the Middle East spiralling out of control will also feature heavily in talks between Mr Albanese and Mr Biden on Wednesday. The Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah is threatening to escalate the war as Israel prepares its ground assault on Gaza in response to Hamas’ October 7 terror attack.
With Mr Biden’s visit to Israel last week effectively being seen as an American green light for the ground assault, Mr Albanese was asked about the view among the pro-Palestinian community that Australia had sided with Israel.
“We pick a side against Hamas. And we did that very clearly and unequivocally,” he said.
“Because the actions of Hamas are against the interests of both the Israeli population, clearly, but also against the interest of Palestinians.
“It is very hard to see how Hamas could negotiate through to what would be a two-state solution in the Middle East. So, I think that President Biden has played a very constructive role.”
As hostilities continued, Mr Albanese said it was vitally important international humanitarian law was followed and aid reached those in Gaza following Israel’s intense campaign of bombing and blockading the Palestinian enclave.
“We remain absolutely horrified by the Hamas attacks on Israel. These are violent acts of terror against innocent citizens,” he said.
“The situation is challenging and rapidly changing, and there is a terrible loss of life including innocent life of both Israelis and Palestinians.
“Every innocent life matters, whether it is Israeli or Palestinian.”
Introducing your Newsfeed
Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.
Find out moreRead More
Latest In Federal
Fetching latest articles