‘A deceitful stab in the back’: French Ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault goes nuclear over subs betrayal

The French ambassador says South Australian businesses and universities will pay the price for the federal government’s submarines “stab in the back”.

France’s Ambassador to Australia has slammed the Morrison government’s decision to dump the $90 billion submarine contract between the two countries as a “stab in the back”.

In a fiery speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault accused Australia of deliberately keeping France in the dark for “months” or “even years’’ about its plans to dump the Attack-class submarine program.

And he said the decision to sign the AUKUS pact and switch to nuclear-powered subs had “torpedoed” South Australian defence companies, as well as partnerships between universities here and in France.

“The deceit was intentional,” Mr Thebault said.

“The way it was handled was plainly a stab in the back. What, after such events, can any partner of Australia now think, is the value of Australia’s signature?

“What is sure is the decision to cancel the deal will have practical consequences for our local partners – 1000 jobs have been trashed with this decision.

“It’s widely admitted that beyond the initial spin of communication, it is highly unlikely there would be any tangible replacement soon, if any.”

Mr Thebault said the cancellation also damaged partnerships between French and South Australian universities.

“We had established over the years very strong bonds with the universities there in the research sector, establishing hi-tech laboratories,” he said. “Deep connections had been created between Brittany (University) and South Australia.”

Jean-Pierre Thebault was recalled to Paris after the singing of the AUKUS deal. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

He said it was “hard fact” that on August 3 this year, just weeks before the submarine contract was scrapped, Australian and French governments officials agreed to a joint communique underlining the “importance” of the program.

“Do you agree on such a joint communique when there is the slightest doubt on something so massive as the official backbone of our co-operation? Maybe on Mars. But not on this planet,” he said.

France condemned Australia’s decision in September to abandon the Attack-class submarine program and instead sign the AUKUS defence pact with the UK and US to build nuclear-powered submarines.

The federal government intends to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines at Adelaide’s Osborne shipyard.

The cancellation of the $90bn Attack-class contract with France left more than 1100 South Australian jobs, including 600 shipyard construction roles, in limbo.

Small and medium SA businesses were also hit hard, sinking an estimated $35m just getting themselves ready for work on the now-cancelled French boats.

SA Senator and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, the minister responsible for shipbuilding at Osborne, has insisted affected workers and businesses would be able to jump on a range of other defence projects.

But to date, there has been no iron-clad promise the work will be done in Adelaide, putting the local SA industry on edge.

The first boat is due to “hit the water” in the late 2030s, before undergoing a lengthy commissioning process.

The Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force is one month into an 18-month consultation process, which will inform how the boats, and what design, will be built.

Following the announcement Mr Thebault was recalled to Paris for consultations with his government.

In his first public appearance since returning to Australia, Mr Thebault said the submarine program was “far more than a contract”.

“The Attack-class program has been intentionally vilified to become an easy scapegoat, to justify a change of footing that was a long time in the making,” he said.

“There was far more at stake than providing submarines, because it was a common agreement on sovereignty, sealed with the transmission of highly classified data, the way it was handled was a stab in the back.

“These are not things which are done between partners, even less between friends.”

The French ambassador also unloaded on the Canberra bubble. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The diplomatic stoush between Australia and France intensified this week after French President Emmanuel Macron accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of lying to him, while Mr Morrison said he would not cop “sledging of Australia”.

Asked by Australian reporters on Monday, Mr Macron declared he “knew” Mr Morrison had lied to him over the deal.

Mr Morrison subsequently denied his account. But just hours later, text messages between the two world leaders were sensationally leaked to the media in an attempt to discredit Mr Macron’s position.

Asked if the Ambassador believed the Prime Minister was “lying about lying”, Mr Thebault replied: “Yes, he was ... I have several examples.”

“Maybe there's a difference between misleading and lying.

“But, you know, among heads of states and governments, when you mislead a friend and an ally, you lie to him.”

Emmanuel Macron on Monday accused the Prime Minister of lying to him. Picture: Adam Taylor/PMO

Mr Macron also raised doubts over whether the AUKUS agreement would even deliver the proposed nuclear powered submarines in a timely manner: “Good luck”.

Echoing his comments, the French ambassador accused Australia of “magical thinking”.

While he promised France would always stand with Australia, he cautioned against the government using “cheap words and promises of love”.

“Love is good. But the proof of love is much better,” he said.

“So, at the same time ... this is a golden opportunity. We can rebuild something substantial. But we start from very far away.”

But should Mr Morrison apologise? The French ambassador sidestepped the question but did offer up a comparison to “eating humble pie”.

“Eating one share of humble pie may sometimes be difficult. It's up to everyone to make his own decision,” he said.