Australia's Ed Husic calls for AUKUS renegotiation after submarine plan change
Australia's AUKUS submarine agreement is facing renewed scrutiny after Labor backbencher Ed Husic called for the pact to be renegotiated. His comments follow weekend changes to the delivery plan, under which Australia will buy three used Virginia-class submarines rather than the earlier mix that included one new boat. The revised arrangement was announced after Defence Minister Richard Marles met US War Secretary Pete Hegseth in Singapore on Saturday.
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Husic said it needed to be questioned whether AUKUS could be delivered and argued that Labor should start contemplating alternative options. He linked his call to the shift in the submarine plan, saying the weekend changes created an opportunity to reconsider the deal altogether. He also said there was clear disquiet within Labor's rank and file, although he would not say whether other caucus members shared that view.
The immediate change is significant because Australia is now set to acquire three second-hand Virginia-class submarines, with no new submarines included in the revised package. Marles has said the move would streamline what he described as an incredibly complicated deal. A Labor MP also raised the issue with the prime minister during the party's caucus meeting earlier on Tuesday, prompting further internal debate about the government's commitment to AUKUS.
The row matters because AUKUS is a central defence and strategic commitment for Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. It is intended to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines and reshape its long-term undersea capability. Any change to the delivery plan therefore has implications not only for procurement, but also for confidence in the wider alliance project and the timetable on which it depends.
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The latest criticism also reflects practical concerns about US submarine production. Husic pointed to difficulties in American shipyards lifting the rate of Virginia-class output, saying that was likely one reason for the change announced over the weekend. The issue has revived internal Labor tensions around AUKUS, which has already been debated within the party since the agreement was first endorsed.
What remains unclear is whether the revised plan can be delivered on the timetable Australia wants, or whether further changes will follow. It is also not clear how much room Canberra has to alter the arrangement if US production remains constrained. The next focus will be whether the government can reassure critics inside Labor that the new deal is workable and still meets Australia's strategic needs.
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