Queensland Labor refuses to back Albanese government’s AUKUS deal, flagging bigger clash to come

Queensland Labor has refused to support the Albanese government’s AUKUS agreement, flagging a bigger clash to come at the ALP’s national conference in August.

Queensland Labor Party President John Battams voted against a motion ‘congratulating’ the Albanese government on AUKUS. Picture: AAP

Queensland Labor has refused to support the Albanese government’s AUKUS agreement, signalling a bigger clash is on the way at the ALP’s national conference in August.

A motion “congratulating” the Albanese Government for its AUKUS investment, and the thousands of jobs it promises to create, was defeated in a theatrical vote at Labor’s state conference in Mackay on Sunday.

Put forward by the AWU-Right, known as Labor Forum, the motion was voted down 229 votes to 140.

Labor’s candidate for the upcoming Fadden by-election, Letitia Del Fabbro, sensationally changed her vote on the conference floor to support the government’s position.

Her initial vote, against the motion, would have put her at odds with the federal government’s policy.

Asked why she changed her vote, Ms Del Fabbro told The Australian she “fully supports the federal government policy and supports AUKUS”.

Queensland Labor president John Battams, state MPs Ali King and Jonty Bush and former federal Bowman candidate Donisha Duff all voted against.

Left faction powerbroker and United Workers Union Garry Bullock abstained from the vote, as did ALP state secretary Kate Flanders.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has framed the $368bn AUKUS submarine deal as crucial to economic prosperity and national security. But unions have concerns the deal will not deliver promised jobs and about where the nuclear waste the submarines generate will be dumped.

In an address to the national press club in March, ACTU president Michele O’Neil said unions backed a “nuclear-free defence policy” and were opposed to disposing nuclear waste in Australia.

The government has said the attack submarines will be nuclear-powered and not be equipped with nuclear weapons.

A Labor forum source described the vote as an “absolute shit show”.

“It’s clear that there are fractures in the Left between their grassroots activists, their rogue blue collar union base and their pragmatic political leaders in the United Workers Union,”

“Blocker and the senior UWU leadership backed in Albo and abstained on the motion, while Left activist after Left activist voted against it.”

Labor will host its national conference in Brisbane in August, the first time it has been held in Queensland for 50 years.

The full motion read: “This conference congratulates the Albanese Government on investing in the AUKUS Agreement. An agreement that will create jobs for the country, establish and retain a new industry being nuclear science and secure our nation in the future.”