Australia PM Anthony Albanese jets off for Washington to press Joe Biden and Congress on AUKUS subs deal


Australia's bid to acquire nuclear submarines is meeting opposition in Congress. Photo: TND


Anthony Albanese will use his visit to the United States to help “forge ahead” with a plan for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

The Prime Minister departed Sunday for Washington, where he will meet with President Joe Biden and seek progress on the AUKUS security partnership which will share US and British technology with Australia.

“We will be urging support for all of the legislation that is required for AUKUS,” he told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

Mr Albanese said he will have important meetings with members of the US Congress and Senate so the partnership can continue to “forge ahead”.
Congressional resistance

The legislation for the pact has faced hurdles in Congress, and from strict US trade control restrictions.

Mr Albanese said the pact was in the interests of all three AUKUS nations.

Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said AUKUS was already behind.

“We’re seeing a lot of inaction from this government … the US White House, the Senate and Congress, they’ll have a lot of questions for our prime minister,” he told Sky News.

“He’s got to maintain the confidence of the US, particularly as they’re preparing to hand over the crown jewels of their military secrets in the form of nuclear-powered submarines.”

Critical minerals and the clean energy transition will also be raised during the visit.

In addition to the bilateral meeting with President Biden, Mr Albanese will be hosted at a state dinner at the White House.


The Prime Minister will also meet with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, and attend the opening of Australia’s new embassy.

-AAP