Inside Labor’s angst over AUKUS

Labor’s opposition to the Vietnam War and 2003 Iraq invasion may have cost it two elections, but they were the right calls, writes former senator Kim Carr in his new book.

Kim Carr

Oct 25, 2024 – 5.00am

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My last big foray as a Labor senator at challenging the conventions laid down by those in charge of the party’s fortunes came not long before Scott Morrison’s fall from public favour. Late on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, media reports started to emerge of a decision by Morrison to tear up an agreement with France to build 12 conventionally powered submarines supposedly in Australia to replace our navy’s fleet of ageing Collins-class subs. Instead, Australia would opt for nuclear-powered submarines using British and American technology as part of a trilateral pact to be known as AUKUS.

The government had given a two-hour verbal briefing to Anthony Albanese, his deputy Richard Marles, and Penny Wong and Brendan O’Connor in their respective capacities as foreign affairs and defence shadow ministers.