Greens warn nuclear submarines deal risks war with China as Albanese says Aukus ‘full-steam ahead’
The Greens say Aukus could pull Australia into a US war with China. Albanese says the submarine plan is still moving ahead.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The article revisits the Aukus fight after Australia’s plan to buy secondhand Virginia-class submarines from the US reignited criticism from the Greens. Labor is defending the deal as a core defence priority, while also stressing that its China relationship remains constructive.
Australia is arguing about whether to buy very powerful submarines from the US. The Greens say that could pull the country into a big fight with China, while the prime minister says the plan is still going ahead.
Analysis
What triggered the renewed fight
The debate over Aukus sharpened again after Australia announced it would buy secondhand Virginia-class submarines from the US, rather than a mix of old and new vessels. That decision gave the Greens fresh ground to argue the whole multi-decade, $368bn pact should be abandoned.
The Greens' case
On ABC’s Insiders, Greens defence spokesperson David Shoebridge said Australia should focus its military spending on defending its own borders, not on systems designed to operate far from home. He argued that conventional submarines and other weapons could meet that aim, and said the nuclear-powered boats would make Australia an "interoperable" part of the US military.
Shoebridge’s warning was blunt: buying the Virginia-class submarines could, in his view, invite Australia into a potential US war with China. He also argued that the biggest strategic risk was Canberra losing sovereignty to Washington.
Labor's response
Anthony Albanese dismissed the criticism and repeated that Aukus is "full-steam ahead." He said his government would not take defence advice from the Greens and framed the alliance with the US as important while also stressing that Australia promotes peace and security in the region. He added that the relationship with China is "very constructive."
The government says it always preferred the "in-service" Virginia-class option because it could reduce acquisition, maintenance and training costs.
Wider diplomacy
The Aukus deal will also come up in talks next week when defence minister Richard Marles and foreign affairs minister Penny Wong meet British counterparts in the UK and Europe. The article says the ministers are also due to meet German, French and Finnish counterparts as part of the trip, underscoring that Aukus is being discussed alongside broader security ties with Europe.
Key points
- The Greens say the Aukus submarine plan could drag Australia into a US war with China.
- David Shoebridge argued Australia should prioritize border defence and conventional submarines instead.
- Albanese said Aukus remains "full-steam ahead" and rejected the Greens as a defence authority.
- The government says buying in-service Virginia-class submarines would save money on costs and training.
- Richard Marles and Penny Wong are due to discuss Aukus and wider defence ties in Europe next week.
If the deal proceeds as Labor intends, Australia could gain submarines it says are better suited to its defence needs and cheaper to acquire, maintain, and train with than some alternatives. The wider talks with the UK and European partners could also strengthen Australia’s defence links beyond the immediate Aukus debate.
If the Greens’ warning gains traction, the deal could keep feeding fears that Australia is tying itself too closely to US military planning and risking deeper conflict with China. Delays, cost pressures, or continued disagreement over the submarine model could also leave Australia facing a capability gap as Collins-class boats retire.
