14 March 2023
The Government’s $368 billion AUKUS deal represents warped priorities and makes Australia less safe say the Greens.
“Australia shouldn’t be tied to a nuclear deal that’s at the whim of the United States. South Australia should be the renewable superpower of the southern hemisphere. We should not be mortgaging our future to stoke regional tensions with a dangerous escalation in regional defence spending”, said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
“South Australians have been disappointed before on promises of submarine jobs and skills. We need spending now on positive jobs in renewables, social housing and the care economy, not more promises of jobs that won’t materialise until far into the future. The AUKUS deal represents a raid on our collective future through decreased spending on Medicare, housing and public education,” said Senator Barbara Pocock.
“With so many challenges at the moment, from homelessness to energy insecurity and spiralling cost of living, it’s disappointing to see billions of dollars being pumped into building these war machines. I fear the jobs being touted are simply a mirage. Surely the Government could be investing in the real jobs of the future that SA deserves in renewable energy, green hydrogen, and manufacturing electric vehicles?”, said Robert Simms MLC.