Thorpe, Sen Lidia

Senator THORPE (Victoria—Independent VIC Whip) (14:29): My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, Minister Wong. As part of AUKUS arrangements, you are planning to host US nuclear-capable, long-range supersonic B-52 bombers at RAAF Tindal in the NT as well as US Virginia class submarines at HMAS Stirling in WA. These submarines could become nuclear capable, like the B-52s, as well as nuclear fuelled in the near future. In its national platform, Labor recognises that nuclear weapons pose significant risks to this country. Given this, will you require the US to declare whether any of their visiting platforms are carrying nuclear weapons?