Obama’s Asia pivot back on track with NT deal over marines

Australia and the US have agreed on a cost-sharing deal guaranteeing the training of US marines in the NT.

US Secretary of Defence Ash Carter, centre, welcomes Defence Minister Marise Payne, left, and Defense Industry Minister Christopher Pyne in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday.

Australia and the US have finally agreed on a cost-sharing deal that guarantees the full potential for President Barack Obama’s military “pivot in Asia” of up to 2500 US marines training in the Northern Territory each year.

There has been an urgency to lock in the deal amid concerns the US presidential election would derail Mr Obama’s vision of effectively basing a battalion of troops in Australia to anchor a rapid ­response to crises in Asia and fears the US would be locked out of training in Southeast Asia.

Defence Minister Marise Payne and US Secretary of ­Defence Ash Carter have agreed in-principle in Washington to cost-sharing arrangements for the program.

Australia and the US will share the costs for more than $2 billion in infrastructure investment in northern Australia as well as the ongoing costs of the initiative over the 25 years of the agreement.

A dispute about shared costs was limiting the original plan agreed to by Mr Obama and Julia Gillard in 2011 to half the annual intake of 2500 marines and undermining the effectiveness of the joint training scheme.

Urgency to close the deal was highlighted by the end of Mr Obama’s presidency, Donald Trump’s strident isolationism and threats from the new Philippines’ President Rodrgio Durtete to shut down US marine exercises after this year.

Senator Payne has been in Washington this week meeting Mr Carter and senior US defence officials to discuss “the bilateral defence relationship and regional security and stability”.

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has also been in Washington for talks on defence purchases and agreements.

The US faces rising pressure in Southeast Asia to withdraw troops there, and Australia’s role as the effective host to a battalion of US marines who could be readily ­deployed to crises in the region is seen as crucial.

There were also fears that a new administration would baulk at the costs and refuse to finalise the deal.

Such a step would be a major strategic reversal in the region and deprive Australia of the opportunity to be a regional base for US military preparedness as well as cutting off millions of dollars from the Northern Territory economy.

The Abbott government ratified the first stage of the deal in 2014 and there were a scheduled 2500 marines expected to be exercising near Darwin by 2016-17, but because of an argument over cost-sharing, the troop ­rotation had stalled at half the target level.

The fifth rotation of US ­marines began at Darwin Airport in April with the arrival of a US Galaxy C5 aircraft carrying CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters from Hawaii and the first of this year’s 1250 marines for six months’ combined training with Australian and other forces at Darwin’s Robertson Barracks.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had been confident a deal would be reached in time soon after a ­series of meetings she had in Washington two weeks ago.