Nuclear submarines to boost national security in early 2023
Australia is set to build nuclear submarines as quickly as it can in a bid to boost national security.
Geelong
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Australia will build nuclear submarines as quickly as it can, in a bid to boost national security.
Speaking in Geelong on Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and defence minister Richard Marles said manufacturing nuclear submarines was a government priority.
Mr Marles, who is also Deputy PM and the Member for Corio, said it was important for Australia to develop a strong workforce that is capable of producing nuclear powered submarines in South Australia.
“We will need to develop an industrial base in this country to build a nuclear submarine and we seek to do that as quickly as we can,” he said.
“There really is a shared sense of mission between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in seeing Australia acquire this capability.”
Mr Albanese revealed the government will announce its “optimal plan” for national security in the coming months.
“I am very positive with the discussions that have been advanced (with the US) and that will come to a realisation in the first quarter of this year,” he said.
Mr Albanese also revealed the economic impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and climate change were priorities his government plan to tackle this year.
He plans to visit Papua New Guinea in the coming week to continue building relationships with countries in our region and to address climate change.
“For our pacific neighbours, climate change is no laughing matter and is a serious threat to low-lying islands,” he said.
Mr Albanese said he looked forward to strengthening Australia’s relationship with China this year.
“We will co-operate where we can and disagree where we must but we will engage in our national interest,” he said.
“It is in Australia’s national interest to have a better relationship with China.”
Mr Albanese also reassured Australians that the government will continue follow the latest health advice as new Covid variants enter the country.
The highly transmissible Covid Omicron variant XBB.1.1, dubbed ‘The Kraken’ has wreaked havoc in the US and four cases have been detected in Victoria.
There are a range of these variants developed and we can expect that it is something that will continue into the future,” Mr Albanese said.
“Australians need to be aware that Covid is still out there.”
Originally published as Nuclear submarines to boost national security in early 2023
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