Defence Minister Richard Marles has argued Australia’s social programs are underpinned by the “security of our country” as he defends the eye-watering cost of the AUKUS submarine acquisition.
The final blueprint of the AUKUS arrangement was revealed on Tuesday during a trilateral press conference with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his UK and US counterparts in San Diego.
US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the announcement of the final AUKUS submarine project. Picture: Getty Images “That comes first, all the social programs that we put in place in health in education all the welfare programs which are really important to provide, all happen on a foundation of living in a nation which is secure.
The government will likely use the $6 billion allocated to the now-cancelled French attack class submarines for the AUKUS program over the forward estimates but will need to make further defence cuts. “And right now we face a lot of strategic complexity and a lot of strategic threat and I can assure you as a government we are rational people.
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