ALP leader’s stance on nuclear weapons risks backlash: MPs

Albanese’s left-wing ­positions on foreign policy could become a liability, Labor MPs warn.

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: AAP

Anthony Albanese’s left-wing ­positions on foreign policy, ­including his support for a UN treaty that would pressure the US to eliminate its nuclear program, could become an electoral vulnerability, Labor MPs have warned.

The Opposition Leader, who has previously called for the phasing out of uranium mining and played down the Victorian Labor government’s support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is being closely watched by colleagues who want him to adopt a more hawkish foreign policy platform.

At the ALP national conference last December, Mr Albanese tried to move a motion that would oblige Labor to sign the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was opposed by his now deputy leader, Richard Marles, and foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong.

The treaty, which has not been signed by the US or Britain, prohibits signatories from developing, testing and producing nuclear weapons. Its critics argue that rogue states such as Russia and North Korea would continue to develop weapons.

The motion passed after the Labor Right, led by Mr Marles, negotiated conditions on Labor signing the treaty.

“I am pleased that this motion before us today says that Labor in government will sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” Mr Albanese said in December.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said last night Mr Albanese’s proposal to sign the nuclear ban treaty would be “incompatible with our US alliance”.

“The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty will be ineffective, polarising, does not include nuclear-weapon states and potentially undermines the cornerstone ­Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” Senator Payne said.

“Focus should be on practical, effective measures, taking into ­account the realities of the global security environment.”

Mr Albanese has historically promoted alternative foreign policy views within the labour movement, including his push against Julia Gillard’s move to export uranium to India.

The Grayndler MP also described the Andrews government’s BRI agreement as being “much ado about nothing”, and said concerns about Chinese ­influence were naive. During the election campaign, Mr Albanese said coming into contact with the Communist Party in China was “no more shocking than someone having contact with the Liberal Party or the Labor Party here because they don’t have a separation of state and party there”.

A Labor MP said the Right faction of the party would be watching to see if the Labor leader was willing to shift from his publicly stated positions on foreign policy.

“There is a concern about his previous positions that he has taken publicly, that would require him to shift from those positions to a more sensible position that has been adopted by the leadership of the Labor Party since forever,” the Labor MP said.

“If they haven’t, then I think that is a concern (in) sections of the Labor Party, and it would be a big worry for the public because they don’t like left-leaning leaders on foreign policy.”

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said signing the UN treaty, as advocated by Mr Albanese, would hurt Australia’s relationship with the US.

“Although Australian governments say that they have signed up to eventual nuclear disarmament, the reality is we rely on America extending its nuclear umbrella over Australia to protect us against nuclear threats,” Mr Jennings said.

“I think in the case of this UN (treaty), it is more about playing populist politics than it is about a serious agenda for arms control. And that is why most serious-minded countries have been resistant to actually saying they endorse that UN document.

“Meanwhile, countries like North Korea have absolutely no interest at all in what the United Nations might be saying on these sorts of issues.”

Mr Jennings said Mr Albanese’s comments on China were “shockingly naive”.

“To equate the Chinese ­Communist Party with an ­Australian political party simply shows that there is no real ­understanding about how power works in China today,” Mr Jennings said. “The Chinese Communist Party is an absolutely dominating influence in what is effectively an authoritarian state — a country that is becoming more authoritarian.”