Shoebridge, Sen David

Senator SHOEBRIDGE: Minister, can't you understand that, if the UK is to be a useful or reliable partner through AUKUS to deliver nuclear submarines, it should at least show some proven capacity to keep nuclear submarines in the water, at sea and deployed? The current meltdown in their maintenance and operational capacity of their nine nuclear submarines, where at different times none of them have been available to go to sea, is a clear indication they're not a reliable partner with AUKUS. Now, do you not think the Albanese government should have at least the level of curiosity to work out if they can keep submarines in the water or not before we spend billions and billions and billions of dollars on AUKUS? Do you not think you should at least have that level of curiosity? Senator McAllister: Your assertion about the approach that we have taken to this relationship couldn't be further from the truth. This is an important project which we consider to be significant. You don't agree with it.