Nuclear subs debate exposes deep Labor divisions

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles react after AUKUS was passed during the ALP National Conference in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The debate over nuclear powered submarines at Labor’s national conference has exposed deep divisions within the party.

It is revealing that Anthony Albanese felt the need to speak from the conference stage in support of a motion endorsing the trilateral AUKUS pact moved by Defence Minister Richard Marles and Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy.

The interjections from the conference floor while other speakers made the case for or against AUKUS were mostly muted when Albanese spoke. He used his authority to limit fallout from public opposition to a key government policy.

While the Albanese government won conference support for AUKUS, the reality is that the party’s membership is overwhelmingly opposed, as is much of its affiliated union membership.

It is surprising that the AUKUS motion was only carried on the voices. There were no hands raised for a count of those delegates for and against, even though it would have been carried overwhelmingly. President Wayne Swan steamrolled the debate towards a quick conclusion.

If there was a vote of Labor’s rank-and-file membership on AUKUS, the vast majority would be opposed. This sentiment was reflected in the speeches by the ETU’s Michael Wright, Labor MP Josh Wilson and environmental activist Felicity Wade to the conference.

But the 402 delegates to the conference are representative of state party branches, dominated by unions and controlled by factions, and the parliamentary party, rather than the broader Labor membership.

There has always been a strong anti-nuclear and pro-peace strain within Labor, and a degree of anti-Americanism. But there are also valid arguments about whether AUKUS is the right policy for Australia.

Minister Pat Conroy’s attack on those opposed to AUKUS was typically juvenile. He likened Wright, Wilson and Wade to those who favoured appeasement of Nazi Germany and Japan in World War II. It was appalling.

The challenge for the Albanese government will be to maintain party support for AUKUS in coming years. The Labor Against War internal lobby group expected to be defeated but say their campaign to torpedo AUKUS is just beginning.