Australia to pay ‘very high price' if AUKUS falls through
Australia will have 'a very high price to pay if AUKUS fails', opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor says.
The warning came after the US Department of Defence launched a review of the pact to ensure it aligned with Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda.
The Albanese government has brushed off concerns the move signals waning US support for the alliance with Canberra, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles saying it was 'natural that the (Trump) administration would want to examine this major undertaking'.
But with AUKUS the centrepiece of Australia's defence strategy over the first half of this century, it has offered little reassurance.
'This is an incredibly important alliance,' Mr Taylor said on Friday.
'It's an incredibly important capability, both in terms of the submarine capability and the technology capability … and this must be a top priority of the government.'
He said the Albanese government had 'many questions to answer'.
'What discussions has Richard Marles already had? To what extent is our lack of defence spending a driver of this review? When will the Prime Minister meet with the President to actually discuss this face-to-face?' he queried.
'These are questions we need answers to, and they're questions that go to the heart of making sure that AUKUS is a success and that we ensure that we have peace through deterrence in our region.'
But US State Department sources said a time had not been set and the situation was 'fluid'.
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