RAFAEL EPSTEIN, HOST: Good morning, thanks for joining us.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Raf, words that I don't usually say. So I hope you're enjoying getting up earlier.
EPSTEIN: I am. Paul Keating ruined your week didn’t he?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Welcome to Balmain. I'm just across the road from the Unity Hall Hotel. That's the first place that an ALP branch ever met way back in 1891. And at the election next Saturday, on 25 March, you have the opportunity to return Balmain to the Labor fold. We have a fantastic candidate here in Philippa Scott and the only way that you can be certain that you can make a change of government is by having Philippa Scott as the member for Balmain and Jo Haylen as the future Transport Minister, and so happens to be my local member as well.
RISHI SUNAK, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Anthony, great to see you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Great to be here.
PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: It is an important day for UK-Australia relations with the announcement that we're making. And I am delighted to see you again.
Today’s significant AUKUS announcement about Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines is the single biggest investment in our defence capability in our history and represents a transformational moment for our nation, our Defence Force and our economy.
The agreement will:
In September 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced AUKUS – a new security partnership that will promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.
The first major initiative of AUKUS was our historic trilateral decision to support Australia acquiring conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs). Today, we announce our pathway to achieve this critical capability.
The Albanese Government is developing a comprehensive AUKUS Submarine Workforce and Industry Strategy to support delivery of advanced conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines to the Australian Defence Force.
The AUKUS submarine program will be the most transformative industrial endeavour in Australian history – exceeding in scale, complexity and economic significance the creation of an Australian automotive manufacturing sector and the construction of the Snowy Scheme in the post-war decades.
President Biden.
Prime Minister Sunak.
I am honoured to stand alongside you both – here, overlooking the Pacific Ocean - as leaders of true and trusted friends of Australia.
Today, a new chapter in the relationship between our nation, the United States and the United Kingdom begins.
A friendship built on our shared values, our commitment to democracy and our common vision for a peaceful and prosperous future.
The AUKUS agreement we confirm here in San Diego represents the biggest single investment in Australia’s defence capability in our history.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, JOESEPH BIDEN: It's an honour to be here to welcome Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Sunak. And it's my honour to welcome you both to the United States as we take the next critical step in advancing the Australia US UK partnership, AUKUS. It's an unusual name, AUKUS, but it's a powerful entity. You know, when our countries first announced AUKUS 18 months ago, I'm not at all sure that anyone believed how much progress we'd be able to make together and how quickly we'd accomplish it.
Prime Minister Albanese will visit Fiji on 15 March to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in Nadi.
Australia and Fiji are warm friends and natural partners, with a shared interest in preserving a peaceful, prosperous and resilient region for our Pacific family.
The Prime Ministers will meet at Blackrock Camp to discuss ways to strengthen Australia and Fiji’s Vuvale Partnership with a focus on economic recovery, climate resilience and regional security.
This will be the first meeting between the Prime Ministers.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, this brings to a conclusion an extraordinarily successful visit here, where we have strengthened the cultural, economic and defence ties with India. Australia and India have a great friendship. We have complementary economies. We can grow those economies together so much more in the future. The fact that I was accompanied here by more than 25 senior business leaders as well as 34 leaders of our clean energy industries, shows the opportunities which are there.