Former Labor cabinet minister Ed Husic said Tuesday that Australia should rethink or renegotiate the AUKUS security pact [1, 2].
The call for a strategic pivot comes as internal party tension grows over the cost and utility of the current agreement. If a significant portion of the Labor movement opposes the current trajectory, the government may face mounting political pressure to alter its defense procurement strategy.
Husic, now a backbench MP, pointed to a specific shift in the submarine component of the deal as a primary concern. He said the decision to purchase three used Virginia-class submarines [2] should serve as a catalyst for the government to consider a renegotiation of the pact [2].
The move to acquire pre-owned vessels has sparked debate regarding the long-term value and sovereignty of Australia's naval capabilities. Husic said the current path lacks a necessary alternative strategy for the nation's security.
"There is a general disquiet within the Labor movement about AUKUS," Husic said [1].
This internal friction highlights a growing divide between the government's executive commitments to the U.S., the UK, and the views of its own party members. The AUKUS partnership is designed to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, but the specific acquisition of used ships has become a flashpoint for critics who question the deal's transparency and efficiency.
Husic asked where the "plan B" is for the current arrangement [1]. He said the current trajectory of the pact may not align with the broader interests of the party or the public.
“"There is a general disquiet within the Labor movement about AUKUS."”
This public challenge from a former cabinet minister suggests that the Labor government's consensus on AUKUS is fracturing. By calling for a 'plan B' and a renegotiation, Husic is signaling that the acquisition of used US submarines may be politically unsustainable, potentially forcing the government to either justify the purchase more aggressively or seek new terms with its allies to maintain party unity.
