Anthony Albanese dodges push to strengthen antinuclear deal

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to be drawn on a push to strengthen an anti-nuclear treaty that could complicate Australia’s AUKUS agreement.

Pacific leaders pushing to revisit an anti-nuclear treaty that could complicate Australia’s AUKUS pact will not get the support of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Mr Albanese said the current treaty is “good” and has the support of Australia but would not weigh in on a push to have it strengthened.

He also refused to lobby the US to ratify the treaty on behalf of Pacific Island leaders.

“I endorse the United States as a sovereign nation that has a right to determine its own position

I don’t think it needs advice from me,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at a press conference during the Pacific Islands Forum in Rarotonga.

“We support the treaty of Rarotonga. All of our activities are consistent with it.”

A strengthened treaty could complicate Australia’s nuclear submarine deal under AUKUS.

When asked if he would support its revitalisation, Mr Albanese said it was a “good document that has stood the test of time” despite some Pacific leaders expressing concerns it needs to be revisited to ensure it can manage contemporary issues.

“We support the treaty of Rarotonga. It is a good document that has stood the test of time. All of the arrangements that were put in place have been consistent with that,” he said.

“It retains our support. We think it’s a good treaty, that’s why we signed in.”

The Pacific Nations are a nuclear-free zone under the treaty but it does not extend to prohibiting nuclear submarines passing through Pacific waters.

Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general Henry Puna said nuclear issues would be on the agenda of the five-day event.

Calls for the treaty to be revisited have come from PIF host nation Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who raised concerns over the storage of nuclear waste in the Marshall Islands, Japan’s discharging of treated water into the Pacific and “the announcement of things like increased surveillance of nuclear-powered submarines through the Pacific”.