Barnaby Joyce calls for ‘contingency plan’ as US reviews AUKUS

Barnaby Joyce is calling for a “contingency plan” amid fears the US is abandoning the centrepiece of Australia’s 21st century defence strategy.

Nationals heavyweight Barnaby Joyce is calling for a “contingency plan” as the US reviews AUKUS.

The $368bn defence pact with the US and the UK is the centrepiece of Australia’s defence strategy for the first half of this century.

Under trilateral partnership, Washington has committed to giving Australia at least three Virginia-class submarines starting in 2032.

But sluggish production of the nuclear-powered boats has put the US on track to face a shortage early next decade, casting serious doubt on whether it can follow through without jeopardising its own defence.

The US has committed to selling Australia at least three Virginia-class nuclear powered submarines. Picture: US Navy / Handout

Donald Trump can renege on AUKUS commitments if they put US national security at risk.

Mr Joyce was deputy prime minister when Australia signed up to AUKUS under the former Coalition government.

He took aim at the Albanese government’s response to the review on Monday.

“We should have a contingency plan, absolutely,” Mr Joyce told Seven.

“As soon as the United States said ‘we’re reviewing AUKUS’, alarm bells should‘ve rung everywhere.

“Hang on, we’re not going to be able to defend ourselves.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has brushed off Mr Joyce’s call, accusing the Coalition of being “in and out of a deal on submarines with Japan, and they were in and out of a deal with France”.

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce says Australia should have a ‘contingency plan’ as the US reviews AUKUS. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“They were constantly pursuing contingencies and given that it takes a couple of decades to deliver a submarine capability, if you keep moving to a contingency, that is not a decision to pursue the contingency, it’s a decision not to do it at all,” Mr Marles told reporters in Canberra.

“Unless you actually stick with a plan, you won’t ultimately achieve a successor long‑range submarine capability to the Collins class.

“We mean to do that. You just need to look at the map to understand that as a nation, as a trading nation with a growing reliance on trade as a proportion of our national income, and sea lines of communication being so important to that trade, we are a country which fundamentally needs a long‑range submarine capability.”

The opposition has called on Anthony Albanese to shore up support for AUKUS when he meets the US President on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada.

The Prime Minister over the weekend said his first face-to-face had been “scheduled” with Mr Trump after the US leader confirmed he was attending the summit.

Mr Albanese has said he would raise both AUKUS and tariffs with Mr Trump.

Originally published as Barnaby Joyce calls for ‘contingency plan’ as US reviews AUKUS