Peter Dutton has dismissed Paul Keating’s latest savaging of the AUKUS agreement, saying the former prime minister is “so far past it”.
The Opposition Leader, speaking at Mount Isa in Queensland earlier today, said Keating did not contribute “sensibly” to public debate anymore.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“Paul Keating’s so far past it, and unfortunately, he’s not acting in our national interest,” Dutton told reporters.
“Paul Keating hasn’t had the security briefings that are available to the Prime Minister or to me, and I can tell you as defence minister it was pretty specific about the threat to our country.
“The fact that Paul Keating wouldn’t stand up for our country, I think reflects very poorly on him.”
Dutton said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should detail exactly what Australia has signed up to with the AUKUS agreement. However, he welcomed progress on the deal.
“When we signed the deal with the US and the UK under AUKUS, we did it knowing that it was a safe technology, and we did it knowing that we would have to dispose of the waste, particularly the reactor at the end of life,” Dutton said.
“Now, the government has signed up to that program as well, and they’ve advanced, now, the arrangement with the United States. We welcome that.”
Dutton reiterated the opposition wanted Australia’s use of nuclear technology to extend to electricity.
Source Agencies
