James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is disappointing and concerning to see the government walk away from the proposal to build a low-level nuclear waste repository in my home state of South Australia. Regrettably, this seems to be the beginning of the unravelling under this government of the important need for sensible and responsible nuclear full-cycle stewardship and custody that puts at risk the AUKUS submarine deal and a whole range of other things.

We've also seen the reports in the media that the Boothby Labor sub-branch has passed a motion condemning the AUKUS agreement and calling on the Labor government to step away from that. That's the Boothby sub-branch of the Labor Party in my home state of South Australia—the state where we will be building the submarines and where we should be building the submarines and achieving the enormous economic and industrial outcome. The Labor Party in the state that will have the most significant economic benefit from the AUKUS submarine contract doesn't support the AUKUS submarine deal. That is extremely concerning and something the people of South Australia need to know and understand.

AUKUS is a massive opportunity. The Labor Party are really struggling to hold their own people together in support of it. And only a change of government will give security and certainty to the AUKUS agreement and the opportunity for a civilian nuclear industry in this country. That's what we need for our future, and the Labor Party are clearly recklessly putting it at risk.

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