Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

(—) (): Senator Ciccone is right. We do live in a much more challenging strategic environment, and responsible governments do have to look at what is the best way to ensure Australia's interest in a rapidly changing world. Our belief is that Australia is best served where we have strategic balance or strategic equilibrium in our region. We are also always motivated to seek peace and stability in our region. In that vein, we are open and transparent about our acquisition of nuclear powered conventionally armed submarines and, as the IAEA director-general has welcomed, we believe these submarines will transform our ability to deter or respond to any future threats and, most importantly, to change the calculus for any potential aggressor. Strategic balance means we must ensure that no country will ever assume that the benefits of conflict outweigh the risks. (Time expired)