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Legislation to enable sharing of military technology and weapon systems between Australia and the United States will likely be introduced by the end of the year, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
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Prime Minister Albanese was grilled about any possible reciprocal defence technology agreement by reporters during a press conference in Washington DC on 24 October.
“We’ll be introducing legislation by the end of the year is certainly our hope. We’re going through the process now through the cabinet process of developing that legislation,” he said.
“It’s about streamlining what is available for Australian information and technology-sharing arrangements with the United States consistent with the AUKUS arrangements. So, just as the United States Congress and Senate is dealing with half a dozen pieces of legislation, something that I’ve had discussions with US legislators on already while I’ve been here, we want to make sure that we’re in a position, as well, for those reciprocal arrangements.
“It’s a matter of having complementary legislation passed in both jurisdictions. At the moment, one of the impediments has been, in a practical sense, there for a long period of time.
“Where for Australia using some US defence technology, and it requires a path, to put it simply without going into any of the detail, often that couldn’t be given directly to the Australian Defence Force, it has to go through the US system. Sometimes meaning delays. And delays mean costs as well as inefficiency.”
Prime Minister Albanese said the process must be streamlined between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom to achieve the desired interoperability.
He also made reference to Australian Defence Force staff already undertaking submariner training in the United States.
“There are already Australian submariners here and people working here … and we want those skills that they’re learning here to be able to be applied to the operations in Australia, both in manufacturing, in our build, which will come down the track,” he said.
“(Our priorities include) the increased visitation of US and UK submarines, particularly through Western Australia, that requires maintenance, and for that work to occur. Secondly, when we receive our Virginia submarines. And then thirdly, the third step, Australian manufacturing of the SSN AUKUS both here and the United Kingdom. So, these are all really important.
“There’s clearly a linkage … between the legislation that is before the Congress and the Senate, and the $3.5 billion of additional investment that President Biden is forwarding for their submarine industrial capacity.
“That shows the extent of the commitment of President Biden for AUKUS. President Biden’s $3.5 billion is about is building confidence in the US political system that any support for Australian industry is not at the expense of US industry, but it’s about building up both. And that is what AUKUS is about. A plus for both of our nations.”
Prime Minister Albanese said work would continue on efforts to enable listing of Australia as a domestic source under the US Defense Production Act. That plan was previously seen and rejected by the US Congress last year.
“We’re continuing to work on that. We think that’s important. At the moment, as you would be aware, Canada has some access under those arrangements. We think that is important,” he said.
