Every fortnight, Sam Roggeveen and Hugh White discuss major developments in international affairs affecting Australia and the region, from an Australian perspective.
“But there's another layer on top of this which is the Treaty of Rarotonga—the South Pacific Free Zone Treaty. And that treaty, to which Australia is a signatory, says that nuclear weapons shall not be stationed on the territory of any signatory of that treaty. And so, we get around that by talking about a rotational arrangement.
“And as Mike Pezzullo, former colleague of yours, Deputy Secretary in the Defence Department, has helpfully pointed out in The Australian in recent weeks, come 2032 or thereabouts, the United States is going to be once again putting nuclear weapons on board its fast attack submarines.
“And some of those fast attack submarines are going to be stationed, or I should say rotating, through Submarine Rotational Force West at HMAS Stirling.
“So that raises a thorny problem for Australia: if those nuclear armed vessels are going to be rotated through HMAS Stirling. Does that put us in breach of the treaty?"
Compelling conversation, engaging debate and insightful perspectives. This series provides expert insights into Australia’s future in a changing world.
Foreign Exchange. Brought to you by Australian Foreign Affairs.