Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John clashes with Navy Secretary Richard Spencer on ABC’s Q+A
A Green senator has stunned a top US politician by telling him Australia should use “diplomacy” instead of the military to protect itself from foreign threats.
During a question-and-answer interview on ABC, Senator Jordon Steele-John told ex-President Trump’s former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer that the buildup of Australia’s AUKUS military — which will buy eight nuclear submarines for $368 billion over a period of 30 years – was not the answer.
But when confronted by Mr. Spencer about how he intends to “maintain national security” without such a deal, Senator Steele-John replied, “Diplomacy.”
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has stunned a top US politician by telling him Australia should use “diplomacy” rather than the military to protect itself from foreign threats.
Former President Trump’s former Secretary of Defense and Navy Richard Spencer (pictured) was briefly speechless during the confrontation on ABC’s Q+A on Monday night
To be clear, I don’t want the Australian community to be tied down to the United States and the UK and your foreign policy decisions for the next 30 years.
“I don’t want our country sitting around the table trying to convince the right-wing, conservative evangelical you elect next.
“I just don’t want it and I don’t want our children to go to the wars they will start.”
The Greens senator continued to talk about the former US official before Mr. Spencer had a chance to fire back.
“I totally understand,” he said.
“If you think I want your treasure and my treasure to go to war, you are greatly mistaken.
“The reason you have strong national security is to give your (Foreign Office) another day to get their point across.”
Host Stan Grant intervened in the brawl – one of many during Monday night’s fiery show – and joked, “Everybody’s had their Weetbix tonight, haven’t they?”
Earlier, Senator Steele-John — who entered parliament in 2017 and has cerebral palsy — said he wanted to scrap the AUKUS deal and spend the money on community services.
“We want money to be spent on introducing dental care into Medicare, putting roofs over people’s homes, raising JobKeeper,” he said.
‘Don’t build nuclear submarines that won’t be delivered for the next 30 years.
“We don’t need to continue on this road.”
He was also challenged to keep Australia safe without nuclear submarines by Northern Territory Country Liberal Senator Jacinta Price on the show.
“What would you do for our sovereignty, so that our shipping lanes are free, so that we can communicate with our Asian partners and be free to behave globally?” she said to the applause of the audience.
“Then what would you do to protect our sovereignty? We must defend our nation.’
Senator Steele-John insisted: “The path the major parties have now taken our nation is one of escalating tensions.
“And to break the jargon, where that ends is Australian children who go to war to die.”
But Senator Price fired back: “Not if we can deter it.”
Host Stan Grant intervened in the brawl – one of many during Monday night’s fiery show – and joked, “Everybody’s had their Weetbix tonight, haven’t they?”
Senator Jodron Steele-John was also challenged to keep Australia safe without nuclear submarines by Northern Territory Country Liberal Senator Jacinta Price on the show (pictured from left, presenter Stan Grant with panelists South Australian Prime Minister Peter Malinauskas, NT Senator Jacinta Price, WA Senator Jordon Steele-John, former US Secretary of Defense Richard Spencer and NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy)
Panelists and audience members also expressed concern about the future disposal of spent fuel that will be produced by the submarine fleet.
But Mr. Spencer insisted that technology find an answer.
“We already have some technologies that will use spent fuel,” he told the show.
“There are a lot of possibilities – I don’t think you can say what a submarine will look like in 15 years because of the technology.
“The cost could be as much as $20 million for a carbon fiber capsule that sits on the bottom of the ocean and is allowed to discharge your defense system.”
The Greens senator scoffed at the suggestion, adding, “We’ve moved into the comedy part of the night.”
The AUKUS deal was signed in September 2021 when then Prime Minister Scott Morrison abandoned a conventional motorized submarine deal with France to acquire nuclear submarines in a three-way deal with the UK and US.
In addition to eight nuclear-powered submarines, the deal also sees the three countries working together on the latest hi-tech military capabilities, including cyber innovations, AI, quantum technologies, hypersonic ballistics and electronic warfare.
The new alliance was seen as a major escalation of the West’s presence in Asia and a warning to China to curb its expansionist policies.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pushed for the deal after winning the election, saying it was ‘necessary to keep our country safe’
In addition to eight nuclear-powered submarines, such as the Virginia-class submarine pictured, the three countries are also collaborating on the latest hi-tech military capabilities
The deal was strongly opposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who accused the AUKUS countries of a “Cold War mentality” and a policy of “containment.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to the deal after winning the election, saying it was ‘necessary to keep our country safe’ but insisted it would not put the nation on a warpath.
He told The Project earlier this month: “I don’t think it’s constructive to talk about war.
“What’s constructive is making sure we have the best defense capability possible to set an optimal path for that defense strategy.
“That’s what we’re doing, but we want peace and security in the region.”