WA Premier Roger Cook has apologised after calling US Vice President JD Vance a ‘knob’ during a rapid fire Q&A this week, but analysts are unsure if the fallout could include the controversial AUKUS scheme.
The security deal between the US, UK and Australia will, according to the Australian Submarine Agency, “transfer submarine-specific material and equipment for Australia’s future nuclear powered submarines”.
These submarines are set to be based at Garden Island and Cockburn Sound.
Chief executive officer of Australian Institute of International Affairs Dr Bryce Wakefield says the agreement is likely to remain stable and unchanged because it is a federal partnership, and not state based.
“The US government won’t really focus on this issue”
Dr Bryce Wakefield
Katharina Wolf is an associate professor of public relations at Curtin University, specialising in reputation management and strategic communication. She says the cultural differences between Australia and conservative America could pose issues.
“There is a real possibility that the Trump administration could use this an excuse to pull out of the AUKUS agreement, especially considering it is from Premier of the state that the submarines will be sent to.”
The Western Independent surveyed members of the Rockingham and Kwinana community Facebook page, to gauge local reactions to the implications and benefits of AUKUS.
Group member and Rockingham resident Latoya Voogt says residents of the area are complaining that they consistently feel uninformed about the goings-on on Garden Island, and the potential dangers of the incoming submarines.
“With Trump in power, we know he’s volatile, we know he’s unstable, we know he likes to insight violence without thinking it through properly, and it doesn’t feel safe with somebody like that in charge of nuclear warships in Rockingham.”
She says the nuclear waste from the nuclear waste plant that’s under construction, and the incoming nuclear submarines, could cause significant environmental harm, and says it’s a hot issue for the community.
Their concerns are shared by Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who questioned Senator Penny Wong and other AUKUS organisers about the potential of the USA bringing in active nuclear weapons on the incoming submarines.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge questions AUKUS.