The revelation that the US and UK have imposed additional conditions for their being part of the tripartite AUKUS deal with Australia has not gone down well in some quarters.
The revelation that the US and UK have imposed additional conditions for their being part of the tripartite AUKUS deal with Australia has not gone down well in some quarters.
While both major Australian political parties have kept mum, the Greens have spoken up, pointing out that these conditions lower Australia below the level of a vassal state.
Under the new conditions, Australia will have to bear the cost for any losses or injuries caused by the transfer of technology from the UK and the US to fulfil the terms of the AUKUS arrangement.
Australia is expected to indemnify the US and UK against any such outcomes.
Additionally, both the US and the UK can abandon the deal with 12 months’ notice if they conclude that meeting the AUKUS terms causes their own nuclear sub programs to be affected.
In the video, linked below, Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge gave his frank opinion about the new conditions, using very mundane examples:
@senatorshoebridgeThe new AUKUS 2.0 deal Albanese has just signed is so bad it is hard to wrap your head around. So here is an explainer.♬ original sound – David Shoebridge
Republished from senatorshoebridge Tik Tok, August 14, 2024
David Shoebridge
Senator David Shoebridge
- State: Member of the Legislative Council (NSW) from 2010 to 2022.
- Federal: Elected to the Senate for New South Wales, 2022.
Committee service
- Joint Select: National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation served from 29.9.2022 to 10.11.2022
- Joint Standing: Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 6.3.2023 to present; Migration served from 25.3.2024 to present
- Joint Statutory: Law Enforcement served from 26.7.2022 to present; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 26.7.2022 to 1.7.2023; National Anti-Corruption Commission served from 9.2.2023 to present; Human Rights served from 4.7.2024 to present
- Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 26.7.2022 to present; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 26.7.2022 to present; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 28.9.2022 to 30.11.2023; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.3.2023 to 31.7.2023; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.6.2023 to present; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.11.2023 to 28.2.2024; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 7.12.2023 to present
- Senate Select: Australia’s Disaster Resilience served from 1.12.2022 to present; Adopting Artificial Intelligence served as Deputy Chair from 27.3.2024 to present
Parliamentary party positions
- Australian Greens. Served: 01.07.2022 to present
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for Justice, Defence and Veterans’ Affairs and Digital Rights from 17.6.2022 to 15.5.2023.
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for Justice, Defence, Veterans’ Affairs, Digital Rights and Science from 15.5.2023 to 25.3.2024.
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, Digital Rights and IT, Home Affairs, Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Justice (includes Attorney-General and Drug Law Reform) from 25.3.2024.