Tasmanian Labor Rebecca White says ‘No’ to nuclear submarines, while flirting with ‘no strings’ power sharing

Nuclear submarines would not be welcome in Tasmania under a state Labor government, says party leader Rebecca White, placing her at loggerheads with the Albanese government.

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White. Picture: Matthew Denholm

Nuclear submarines would not be welcome in Tasmania under a state Labor government, says party leader Rebecca White, placing her at loggerheads with the­ ­Albanese government as she desperately attempts to win over undecided voters.

Ms White, who will at best ­require independents and minor parties to govern unless she can lift Labor’s stalled primary vote, told The Weekend Australian nuclear-powered submarines would not be tolerated in Tasmania, given the risks to population centres and pristine waterways.

“No – Hobart is the deepest port that we have in Tasmania, it is a capital city; I don’t think Tasmanians would welcome nuclear submarines coming to berth at Hobart,” Ms White said.

The other potential port, Burnie, was also unsuitable she said, given it was also a population centre and was already congested.

More broadly, she argued most Tasmanians simply did not want nuclear-powered submarines in their waters. “I don’t think Tasmanians would be very happy about that at all,” Ms White said.

The 41-year-old Labor leader, who next Saturday makes her third bid at winning government, distanced herself from the $30bn AUKUS submarine deal, declining to endorse the bipartisan policy, which in 2023 was enshrined in the ALP national platform.
 “They (the Albanese government) have made an investment in the strategic capability of our ­defence force – it’s their decision,” she said. “It’s their responsibility to make those decisions on behalf of the nation, based on the best ­advice that they have. I’m not going to ­interfere in defence matters.”

Ms White’s comments are thought to be the first time a state Labor leader has vowed nuclear submarines would not be welcome in their state or distanced themselves from AUKUS.

AUKUS was staunchly ­opposed by sections of the ALP Left, from which Ms White originates, as too costly and likely to antagonise China.

Hobart, with its deep water and strategic importance as a Southern Ocean and Antarctic gateway, has been touted as a regular port or even permanent base for the nation’s nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency last year cleared Hobart’s port to host nuclear-powered vessels, prompting concern from the Greens and lord mayor Anna Reynolds.

A state ban on such subs could create a constitutional standoff, with states able to pass laws ­administering ports but the federal government controlling defence.

Former Liberal senator Eric Abetz, a past chair of the Senate foreign affairs and defence committee expected to be elected to state parliament next week, has championed Hobart as a nuclear sub base, citing China’s “concerning territorial and economic ambitions in the Southern Ocean”.

In recent years, experts have raised concerns that China and Russia are undermining the Antarctic treaty system that sets aside land claims, dedicates the region for peace and science and prevents militarisation.

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff is non-committal about ­nuclear submarine visits, and declined on Friday to add to his 2022 comments that it was “a debate for another day”.

Tasmania prides itself on its pristine waterways and tourism, energy, agriculture and food industries underpinned by a “clean, green” image. Any nuclear-powered vessel arriving in Hobart, in the green-left-leaning electorate of Clark, would likely attract major protests.

Under AUKUS, US and UK nuclear-powered submarines are to have “rotational presence” in Western Australia from 2027 and would be expected to visit other ports.

Australia is to buy three Virginia-class nuclear-powered subs from the early 2030s and, by the mid-2050s would operate eight, including South Australian-built subs.

Ms White also clarified her position on forming minority government, as polls continue to tip a hung parliament. While reaffirming her pledge of “no deals” with independents or minor parties, she suggested Labor would be open to a “no strings” arrangement.

Some key potential crossbenchers have Labor backgrounds or preferences and could be willing to sign a letter to the Governor indicating support for Labor, without demanding ministries or policy outcomes.

Ms White suggested she would be open to such an arrangement. “If we are in a position where we can form government and maintain our ability to deliver on our plan with no strings attached … then I’ll respect that’s the parliament Tasmanians have elected,” she said.

While not supporting the Liberals’ policy to log 40,000ha of forests protected under the 2012 forest “peace deal”, Ms White said Labor would retain the designation of these areas for “future potential” harvesting.

Ms White also took responsibility for Labor’s poor polling, with three polls putting its primary vote at 23-29 per cent. “As the leader I am responsible for the way that the party conducts itself this election campaign,” she said.

However, she did not believe Labor was a spent force in Tasmania after 10 years out of office, citing its support at the federal level and wins in recent state upper house elections. She believed a large number of undecided voters kept Labor in the race.

Even so, she would not commit to resigning should she lead the party to its third consecutive loss since she first took the role in 2017. “I have a lot of experience now and … I would hope to bring that to the role as premier of Tasmania,” she said. “I do this job because I really care. I’m not thinking past March 23.”

She attacked Mr Rockliff as “quite tired” and warned he was unlikely to remain as Liberal leader for long, post-election.

“Jeremy is only just holding off (his deputy) Michael Ferguson and Eric Abetz,” she said. “The right wing of the Liberal Party is coming to get him.”