Thousands of people yesterday rallied against a proposed nuclear-powered submarine base at Port Kembla in eastern Australia as part of the A$368 billion (US$248.8 billion) AUKUS defence pact with the US and the UK.
The second-largest coal port in New South Wales state is the government’s preferred site for a new east-coast submarine base, the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported.
Protesters carrying trade union banners and flags marched down the main street to voice their opposition to a base in the town of about 5,000 people 102km south of Sydney.
“I’m getting the sense of the renewable energy that’s in this community to keep coming out on the streets,” Australian Senator David Shoebridge, a prominent critic of AUKUS, told the crowd.
Estimates of the crowd ranged from 2,000 to 5,000, according to participants.
Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles said last month that no decision had been made on a site for a new east coast submarine base.
The government would “develop a process to consider all feasible options for an east coast facility to support Australia’s future submarine capability,” a defense ministry spokesperson said, adding that a decision would be made “late in this decade.”
The government said it would take the time to weigh the decision, with the more immediate priority being infrastructure works at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, which is to host rotational visits by US and UK submarines from 2027.
However, the rethink has failed to ease concerns of opponents of a new base in Port Kembla.
“I think they understand the alarm and I suspect that what is happening is that the defence department, which has a habit of getting its way on these things, hasn’t been able to convince the government as yet — as yet — to make a call on it,” South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris said.
“We make no apologies for putting as much pressure as possible on the decisionmakers to rule out Port Kembla now, not later,” Rorris said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the submarine project after two former leaders criticized the deal over its cost, complexity and potential sovereignty issues.
The deal unveiled in March would see Australia purchase US Virginia-class submarines before joint British and Australian production of a new submarine class to be built in Australia.
Additional reporting by The Guardian
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